Got a glut of tomatoes? Let them shine in one of our affordable, fuss-free recipes
1 Mediterranean chicken traybake
• Mix 2 diced red peppers and 1 red onion cut into wedges on a big baking tray with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 10 mins. Meanwhile, carefully make a pocket between the skin and flesh of 4 skin-on chicken breasts, but don’t pull off the skin completely. Push a 75g tub of full-fat garlic & herb soft cheese under the skin, smooth the skin back down, brush with oil, then add to the tray along with 200g cherry tomatoes and a handful black olives. Cook for 25-30 mins until the chicken is cooked. Serves 4.
2 Slow-roast tomato sauce
Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Halve 1kg ripe vine tomatoes and place, cut-side up, on a large baking tray. Sprinkle with some seasoning, a pinch of sugar, 1 tsp dried oregano and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, then drizzle over 2 tsp olive oil. Roast for 11/2 hrs until soft.
Whizz in a food processor or blender with 2 tsp red wine vinegar. Makes 2 x 350g jars. Will keep in the fridge for one week, or freeze for up to two months.
3 Roasted tomatoes with peppers, garlic & thyme
Halve 200g small plum tomatoes, thinly slice 3 garlic cloves and strip leaves from 3 thyme sprigs. Halve 6 red peppers, remove core and seeds, then pack into a baking dish, cut-side up. Divide the tomatoes, garlic and thyme between each pepper half and scatter each with a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Drizzle over 5 tbsp olive oil and bake for 1 hr at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 until tender. Eat with crusty bread, more olive oil and good balsamic vinegar. Serves 6 as a starter.
4 Creamy tomato soup
Soften 1 chopped onion, 200g diced potatoes and 2 crushed garlic cloves in 50g butter. Add 500g cherry tomatoes and 500ml veg stock. Cover and simmer for 20 mins, then whizz in a blender. Pour back into the pan, season and heat through to serve. Serves 4.
5 Tomato, butter bean & avocado salad
Drain and rinse a 420g can of butter beans. Mix with 250g halved baby plum tomatoes, 1 chopped avocado, 1 sliced small red onion and a small handful chopped coriander. Whisk 2 tsp honey with the zest and juice 1/2 lemon, then pour over the salad. Season and toss together. Serves 4.
6 Spiced scrambled eggs
Soften 1 small chopped onion and 1 chopped red chilli in a knob of butter. Stir in 4 beaten eggs and a splash of milk. When nearly scrambled, gently stir in a good handful diced tomatoes followed by some coriander leaves. Season and eat on toast. Serves 2.
7 Homemade semi-dried tomatoes
Halve 1kg small tomatoes and spread over a baking tray, cut-side up. Season with salt, pepper and 3 pinches dried oregano. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then roast for 4-5 hrs at 140C/120C fan/gas 1 until semi-dried and chewy. Pack into a jar, top up with more olive oil, and keep in the
