De Ma Cuisine

Dried Tomatoes Archive

Monday

21

July 2014

0

COMMENTS

Fresh Herb and Dried Tomato Bruschetta

Written by , Posted in Appetizers, Bread, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Fruit, Herbs, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Sandwiches, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

FreshHerbDriedTomatoBruschetta-4

I dried some tomatoes.

There was a moment when I wasn’t sure if they would turn out.

Somewhere in-between peeking into the oven to see some still watery tomatoes, and picking a couple burned ones off the baking sheet there was success.

Success made of sweet, intense flavor.

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They have a texture like a dried cranberry. A hint of sweetness like them too. But, that’s where the similarities end.

Because you wouldn’t make a dried cranberry into a bruschetta… would you?

Don’t answer that.

We will just move on. Let us go to a place of amazing.

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One of my favorite appetizers (or meals, depending on the day) is bruschetta. It’s crazy simple to prepare. And insanely good to eat. Like coo coo crazy good.

It’s bread, garlic, oil, tomatoes, and herbs. You can’t go wrong.

FreshHerbDriedTomatoBruschetta-1

A baguette is sliced, drizzled with olive oil, and toasted.

I learned how to make baguettes that time I went to Paris.

I think of that trip most days. Making baguettes brings a little bit of Paris to my kitchen.

Bruschetta brings a little bit of Italy.

I like that.

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Fresh herbs like basil and savory are perfect. Oregano would also be nice, but I didn’t have any at the time. I do now. Guess I’ll have to make these again.

Twist my arm.

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Those obnoxiously good tomatoes are chopped up. (If they even made it off the baking sheet. I’m not sure how many I ate before they went into the jar on drying day.) They’re combined with the fresh herbs and a ton of garlic.

Oh sweet garlic. How I love thee…

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I ate them all. All. All by myself.

There are really enough for 3-4 people.

I was gonna share with Tim, but he ended up having a lunch meeting. Oh darn. I ate them with Squash’n Eggs, and a Smoothie. And then I ate the leftovers for a snack later in the evening.

Happy Eating!

Fresh Herb and Dried Tomato Bruschetta
Recipe Type: Appetizer, Side, Vegetarian, Fruit, Herbs, Vegan
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 16-24 slices baguette
  • 1 t olive oil
  • pinch salt
  • 1 pint sized jar dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 T fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 t fresh savory, chopped
  • (oregano could also be added)
  • 1/4 C olive oil (use the oil from the tomatoes)
  • 1 clove garlic (from tomatoes), minced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • to taste, salt
  • to taste, pepper
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F (I used the toaster/convection oven).
  2. Drizzle baguette with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt. Toast for about 10-15 minutes, or until crispy and slightly browned.
  3. Combine tomato through pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  4. Top toasted baguette slices with tomato mixture.

 

Thursday

17

July 2014

0

COMMENTS

How To Dry Tomatoes

Written by , Posted in Canning, Condiments, Dairy-Free, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Roasting, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Dried-Tomatoes-6

Tomatoes are such a great fruit. It’s weird that we use them like a vegetable when they’re not one.

I’m ok with that.

They go with so much, they can be used in so many different ways.

The possibilities are pretty endless.

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Around here, the growing season for local tomatoes is pretty long. We’ve been getting them in our Abundant Harvest Organics box for about two months now.

We’re very fortunate.

But, that doesn’t mean we don’t need to preserve them and make them last as long as possible.

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I opted to dry the tomatoes by slow roasting them in the oven at a low temperature.

I love the intense flavor that roasting brings.

I’ve always called this type of tomato a “sun-dried tomato”. But, since I did not dry them in the sun, I didn’t want to lie.

Also, if I’d tried to dry them in the sun I have a feeling that a curious dog might have enjoyed a snack. They are safer in the oven.

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It’s simple: tomatoes, olive oil, and salt.

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Tomatoes are sliced thin, but not too thin. No thinner than a quarter of an inch please.

Trust me.

They will burn.

But, the dog will be happy because he will get a treat.

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Dried tomatoes are just perfection. A fabulous way to make summer tomatoes last a little longer.

Or, in our case, a fun new way to enjoy them. As they will soon be eaten.

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Since the base recipe is simple, it leaves so many options for flavoring the oil they are stored in.

I opted to make a jar of simple Italian-style, with basil, oregano, and garlic.

Other yummy options would be:

Red pepper flakes, garlic, and rosemary.

Cilantro, oregano, and jalapeño (dry the jalapeños the same way as the tomatoes).

Rosemary and garlic.

Bay leaf, garlic, and rosemary.

Dill, lemon thyme, and garlic.

Fennel seeds, garlic, and basil.

Thyme, rosemary, and oregano.

Lemon zest, basil, and garlic.

I want to make them all!

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I’ve stored them in the fridge and plan to use them quickly, on bruschetta, in pasta, and on pizza.

The olive oil, which will become a delicious flavored oil, will be used as well.

We don’t waste food around here if we can help it. 😉

Happy Eating!

Kitchen Basics: Drying Tomatoes
Recipe Type: Condiment, Preserving, Roasting, Drying, Vegetarian, Fruit
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Preserve summer’s beautiful tomatoes by drying them and storing them in olive oil.
Ingredients
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick (no thinner, or they will burn)
  • 1-2 T olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • 1 T dried basil
  • 1 T dried oregano
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 to 3/4 C olive oil
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 250F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Place tomatoes in a single layer on the silpat or parchment paper. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Bake for 3 hours, turning occasionally, until tomatoes are nicely dried.
  4. Cool completely and combine in a half pint jar with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Yields: one half pint, including the oil.
3.2.1303

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