Dried Tomatoes

 

Dried Tomatoes

By Bryan Chapman

With tomatoes in season, one must do all they can to preserve these wonderful gems for later use. My primary method, is drying. Dusted with herbs and spices, dried tomatoes can keep pleasure and joy coming to any recipe, well into the cold winter months, and out into the other side of Spring, where, it will be time to plant more.

For this recipe, you will, of course, need some method of drying. I wish, fellow followers of the sumptuous life, I could show you a drying rack of well-used screen, girded by a frame of wood, darkened with the patina of time. Alas (sigh), I as yet, have no such drying racks, so you will have to tolerate my photo of… plastic. I humbly apologize for jarring you out of the Willowed Path dream, and into the realm of mundania.

Dried Tomatoes
By Bryan Chapman

INGREDIENTS
Roma tomatoes, approximately 5 tomatoes per drying rack
Oregano, dried
Basil, dried
Kosher salt

METHOD
1. Cut tomatoes, crosswise, into 3/16” to 1/4" thick slices. The actual thickness, of course, will depend on the thickness of your drying racks. The tops of the tomato slices should not touch the bottom of the rack stacked above it.

2. Place tomato slices onto a drying rack, so that the slices only touch each other. Packing them too tightly will inhibit drying, and increase drying time. I have notice, depending on the thickness of the slices; I average about 5 roma tomatoes per circular drying rack.

3. Sprinkle tomato slices with kosher salt, basil, and oregano. You will notice I have made no listing of amounts for these ingredients. The reason for this is not that I am a lazy budge (which, I can be, but it does not figure into this recipe), but because it depends on the number of drying racks used. By looking at the included photo, and experimentation, you should be able to develop a method that best suits you and yours. As a quick rule of thumb, however, for 20 tomatoes (4 racks), I would use the following:

· 1 Tbsp Oregano, dried
· 1 Tbsp Basil, dried
· ½ tsp Kosher salt

4. Stack racks onto your dryer, and turn the temperature to 135 degrees F. Your specific drying method may require something different.

5. Check them approximately every 4 hours. This will let you see their progress.

6. For the actual drying time, you will need to experiment. Many factors go into making up this time, from slice thickness, to packing density, to type and temperature of dryer. But, expect it to be a minimum of 12 hours. When ready, the tomatoes should be crisp and not squishy.

Leaving water in the tomatoes will cause them to mold, and all your hard work will be not but hen food. Large diameter slices will dry more quickly than end pieces. You can either remove the larger slices as they become dry, or leave them until all the slices are finished. Leaving them longer will not hurt them.

7. When, however, you feel the tomatoes are satisfactorily parched, remove them from the racks and place into a sealable jar; include a moisture absorber in the bottom. This can be either the small, moisture absorbing desiccant packets found in other products that you have recycled for your own use, or, a muslin-wrapped, teabag-sized sachet of white rice (the only true, appropriate use for cheap white rice), tied shut with a length of kitchen string.

Now, as the snow flies, the icy sparkle of winter can be warmed with the sparkle of lovingly dried tomatoes, added to any dish.


Cooking Suggestion
The tomatoes from the above recipe may be used in almost any dish. If the recipe requires a lengthy cooking time, merely add them in with the other ingredients. If a short cooking time is required, or you want to use them raw, you may wish to reconstitute the tomatoes first. This can be done by soaking them in a small bowl of warm water, until they are soft and pliable. If the recipe allows, add the water used for reconstitution into the dish, as well; there is no need to waste flavor.

For me, a more relished method of their use, is to sauté the dried tomatoes in a tablespoon of olive oil, preferably along with any other recipe ingredients that are to be sautéed for the dish. With this method, the tomatoes seem to melt, lovingly, and blend much more preciously with the other ingredients. Please give it a try, and rejoice at the experience.