|
Why dry tomatoes? There are several good reasons:
- It's fast! Wash and slice them, place them in the dryer and walk away for 18 to 24 hours. Remove them from the dryer and place them in storage containers. You're done!
- Minimal storage requirements. No freezer needed, although you can store dried tomatoes in the fridge or freezer if you choose. No canning jars needed, either - and the space they take up is hardly worth mentioning.
- No need to have a bushel of ripe tomatoes at your beck and call - you can do just a few at a time.
- Awesome flavor! Drying tomatoes intensifies the taste and leaves you with simply amazing tomato-ness.
- Save boodles of money! Have you priced dried tomatoes in the grocery store? 'Nuf said!
Drying tomatoes is really easy, too. You can do them in your oven by placing them on trays on the top shelf. Turn the over to its lowest setting and keep the door cracked, like you would if you were broiling something. If you have cookie racks or something similar, they will dry faster and be easier to remove when they are done.
Our favorite method, however, is to use our food dehydrator. Dehydrators start at about $40 and go up to .... well, the sky's the limit. Ours cost about $40 and has been just what we need. (We also dry lots of apples with it.) Here's how it works:
 |
 |
| Slice the tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. That may look too thick at first, but they shrink a lot while drying and thinner slices dry so thin you can almost see through them! | Our dryer has a setting especially for fruits and vegetables - at 140 degrees. It usually takes between 18 and 24 hours for the tomatoes to dry thoroughly. |
 |
 |
| Tomatoes are dry when "leathery" - this means they bend, rather than break, when you twist them and are not moist at all to the touch. Store them in plastic bags or reusable containers. |
We are experimenting with tomatoes cut in small chunks for use in stews and soups. They take longer to dry this way, but our hope is to be able to just toss them into the crockpot without needing to cut them up first. |
And what to do with those dried tomatoes? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Cut tomato slices with kitchen shears or scissors. Trust us, this is far easier than using a knife!
- Rehydrate them a bit by pouring just a bit of hot water over them and wait a minute - or five - before adding them to your dish.
- Like scrambled eggs? Tiny bits of dried tomatoes add amazing flavor. They are also excellent added to quiche and other egg dishes.
- Toss a few pieces in soups and stews. Experiment a little to see how much you can add without overwhelming other flavors - remember, they are intense!
- Place some in a jar and cover with olive oil. Use both the tomatoes and the olive oil in your favorite dishes. Keep the oil/tomato mixture refrigerated!!!
- Experiment! Add them to casseroles, stir fries, cookies....Oh, wait, maybe we got a bit carried away there.... And let us know what culinary delights you invent!
|
|