I have a friend with an extraordinary kitchen garden in Suffolk. All summer, her many tomato plants have been in their element, with ripe fruit hanging heavily from their branches, wafting their sweet aroma all around. The scent is intoxicating, one that the refrigerated tomatoes of winter certainly don’t have. So, now that we are at the end of the season, eat as many tomatoes as you can.
Tomato, chicken and olive traybake with basil oil
Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4-6
8-10 chicken thighs, on the bone and skin on
Salt and black pepper
6 large tomatoes (such as beef or oxheart)
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 sprigs thyme
1½ tbsp small capers
12 black olives (preferably kalamata), stoned
½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
4 anchovies
5 tbsp olive oil
150g stale white sourdough, torn into large pieces
For the basil oil
1 large bunch each basil and parsley, leaves picked
4 anchovies
2 tsp capers
8 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6. Remove the chicken from the fridge, lay it on a plate and season generously with salt and pepper. Leave out for half an hour.
Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into large chunks and transfer to your largest baking tray. Scatter the garlic cloves over the tomatoes, along with the thyme, capers, olives, chilli and three tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, mix with your hands, then roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and scatter the bread all around. Toss with the tomatoes and juices, then top with the chicken thighs. Drizzle the whole lot with the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Roast for a further 25-30 minutes, turning the bread pieces over once or twice.
Now make the basil oil, whizzing all the ingredients together. If you want a looser consistency, add a few more slugs of olive oil. Taste and check for seasoning – it will be naturally salty so you may only need the smallest pinch of salt.
Once the thighs are golden and cooked through, serve in the baking tray, drizzled with the basil oil, or transfer to a serving dish. Serve with a green salad and perhaps some cheese for pudding.
And for the rest of the week
Buy trays of tomatoes at the market at the end of the day and make bottles of passata (always useful) or jars of tomato and chilli jam, which is delicious with grilled vegetables, cheese, sausages and lamb.
