Whipped Feta with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

2 cups cherry tomatoes (500 mL)

1/2 cup canola oil (125 mL)

2 cloves garlic, sliced (2)

12 sprigs of fresh thyme (12)

2 bay leaves (2)

10 whole black peppercorns (10)

1/4 tsp salt (1 mL)

Whipped Feta

1 container (200g) feta cheese, drained

1/4 cup sour cream (60 mL)

2 Tbsp canola oil (30 mL)

1 small clove garlic (1)

1 Tbsp lemon juice (15 mL)

2 tsp lemon zest (10 mL)

1/2 tsp hot sauce (2 mL)

Garnish (optional)

2 Tbsp coarsely chopped parsley (30 mL)

1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper (5 mL)
1. Preheat oven to 275ºF (140°C).
2. In 8”x 8” (20 x 20 cm) pan or casserole dish, add tomatoes.
3. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup (125 mL) canola oil, sliced garlic, thyme, bay leaves, whole peppercorns and salt. Pour over the tomatoes and toss gently to coat.
4. Roast for 1 hr 15 min, until tomato skins begin to shrivel. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
5. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the feta into small pieces. Add sour cream, 2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil, 1 clove garlic, lemon juice and zest and hot sauce. Purée until smooth.
6. When ready to serve, add whipped feta to a serving dish. With a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes and roasted garlic from the oil and arrange on top of the whipped feta.
7. Garnish with parsley and fresh cracked pepper.
TIP: Refrigerate your leftover oil and use within 2-3 days as a marinade for chicken, use to make the focaccia recipe or try it in a homemade salad dressing.

TIP: Pair this dish with the crostini from our Roasted Crostini Recipe.

TIP: The tomatoes should stay in the marinade until serving to gather max flavour!

TIP: Replace fresh thyme with 1/2 tsp dried.