Smoked Looye Honeytomatoes

METHOD

1. We are going to BBQ indirectly, so make sure the grill deflectors shield the tomatoes from the naked flames. Preheat the BBQ to 100°C. Because we are keeping the temperature low, you should only light the fire in one place.

2. Add the wood smoking chips for the smoky flavour. Choose wood chips with a mild aroma, but above all, experiment! Smoke flavour is a matter of personal preference. Wrap a couple of chips (2-3 is enough) in aluminium foil, prick holes in it and put it in the fire. It doesn't take a lot of smoke to release the aroma, and too much smoke makes the food taste bitter.

3. Put the Looye Honeytomatoes on the grill rack or on a large foil-covered baking sheet. The recipe is based on 1 kg Looye Honeytomatoes, but the amount is, of course, flexible. Drizzle the sweet tomatoes generously with olive oil and some salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Close the lid and allow the BBQ to do its job. It's important to leave the lid closed. The process generally takes about 3 hours. Check the temperature from time to time and make sure it stays around 100°C.

4. Carefully remove the Looye Honeytomatoes from the grill, leave to cool and process as desired. You can put them straight onto a cracker, or in the blender to create a delicious base for any tomato dish. If you smoked your Looye Honeytomatoes on a baking sheet, keep the released oil to flavour toast, salads and pastas. You can also use this oil to fry the ingredients for your Bolognese sauce. Highly recommended!