End-of-Season Tomatoes

I don’t remember when I first tried sun-dried tomatoes, but I instantly loved them. I’ve never been a fan of fresh tomatoes; the texture and acidity don’t agree with me. But when tomatoes are dried, the flavor is concentrated into a delectable bite.

Initially, I followed the recommendation of a friend and grew Principe Borghese tomatoes to dry. She told me they were sweet and dried well. They also turned out to be prolific! I used a dehydrator, a process that was also new to me, and dried them to nearly nothing. Even in that crunchy state, tasters said they reminded them of plums and went for a second and third bite. And I stored them in jars. When I wanted to add them to omelettes, pasta and salads, I rehydrated them with boiling water.

Though I followed that pattern for several years, what I really wanted was to preserve the luscious taste of the dried tomatoes in olive oil. So last week, I searched online for instructions and found several options, including this video from An Oregon Cottage on YouTube. Please do your own research on safety precautions to follow before trying this.

On  Saturday, I followed her instructions, using Principe Borghese and San Marzano tomatoes. The resulting beauties are so rich I could only eat a couple of them straight out of the jar. When I added them to the grain bowl I had for lunch, they provided a perfect contrast to the roasted sweet potatoes and beets. So of course I had to try this again, this time with a lunchtime chicken and feta topped salad.

Our summer drought and the hunger of the local groundhog (that’s an entire other story!) have whittled our tomatoes down to a treasured few. If I get another batch of San Marzanos and Principe Borgheses, I’ll get out the dehydrator and olive oil to make another batch of deliciousness.

What are you cooking with end-of-the-season tomatoes? I hope you’ll share in the comments.