Roasted Tomato “Pesto”

 “Summer...it ain’t over till it’s over.”

Just so you know, I love sauces, dips & dressings...anything that can take a simple dish and bump it up a notch. This roasted tomato “pesto” is AMAZING and can be used in so many ways: mixed with mayo to top a sandwich, as a veggie dip, perfect addition to a charcuterie platter, brushed topping for grilled meats and fish, as a pasta sauce, etc...the list is endless. And the best part is this is something you can make a big batch of and store in the freezer, and pull out whenever you need a boost of amazing flavor.

Ingredients:

¾ - 1 c roasted tomatoes (see below)

⅔ c raw walnuts (or another that you prefer)

1-2 small cloves of garlic

2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 scant T of fresh thyme (or rosemary, basil)

1 T nutritional yeast

2 pinches salt

Fresh ground pepper

⅓ c olive oil

Pulse walnuts in processor or blender until finely ground, add roasted tomatoes and garlic and pulse to combine. Add lemon juice, herbs, nutritional yeast and S&P, pulse to combine. Then drizzle oil in slowly while processing the mixture, stopping to scrape sides as necessary. Consistency should be of a thick pesto. As with regular pesto, you can adjust the amounts to suit your flavor preference.

 * To roast tomatoes: Preheat oven to 400°. Place halved roma tomatoes, cut side up, on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush each lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt (you can also add additional seasonings of your choice at this point). Roast until caramelized and a little shriveled. About 30-40 minutes. Once cooled, I transfer to a large freezer bag and store in the freezer (up to 6 months) and pull out whatever I need.