by Cat, February 2009
See also Dehydrating Fruits & Vegetables
I have not ever grown my own tomatoes (I don’t get enough sun) and have no experience with dehydrating them. However, a friend gives me some of her dehydrated tomatoes from time to time, and I also buy sundried tomatoes packed in oil. I love to use them in recipes such as Chicken & Penne with Sundried Tomatoes (links to my old site until I can get the recipe moved).
Dried tomatoes can be reconstituted in water or olive oil, as detailed below.
Refer to The Seasonal Chef (2) or Homecooking at about.com (1) for lots of tips on drying and using dehydrated tomatoes.
Reconstitute Dehydrated or Sundried Tomatoes
- In oil: place in a bowl and cover with extra virgin olive oil for 24 hours before using. Save the tomato-flavored oil to use in salad dressings, for example.1
- In water: Place dried tomatoes in a heat-proof bowl; cover completely with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes until soft and pliable; drain and pat dry. Reserve soaking liquid to use in soups and sauces. Refrigerate and use leftover reconstituted tomatoes within 3 days, or cover with oil and refrigerate to use within 2 weeks. (1)
References:
- homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/ht/reconsundrytom.htm
- seasonalchef.com/tomdehyd.htm#Rehydrating
