IN THE KITCHEN
From page 39
bags, plastic containers or
on a wire rack over a tray,
jars.
with the cut side facing up.
You can take one step further
Do not allow the tomatoes to with dehydrated tomatoes –
touch each other, make sure
you can powder them. Store
there is space all around each the dried tomatoes in a
half for the hot air to circufreezer bag in the freezer for
late. Place the tray in an oven about a week.
with a low temperature of
Set up the blender.
0
100 – 120 C, and leave them Remove the tomatoes from
for six to ten hours. It all
the freezer and transfer
depends on how dry you
immediately to the blender. If
want your tomatoes to be and you have more than one
on the varietals you are using. blender full, do this in
They can be stored in jars.
batches.
You might want to layer with
The idea is to grind up the
dried herbs and fill the jar
tomatoes when they are
with olive oil.
If you are using a
dehydrator you can
dry cherry and large
tomatoes. Cut cherry
tomatoes in half –
this way you can
monitor how they
are drying. It they
are whole you won't
know if they are still
moist inside. Bigger Tomato powder
tomatoes are best
frozen and fragile as
sliced 8-9mm thick. Skinning
glass. This approach gives you
and seeding the tomatoes is
the finest powder. Transfer
optional.
the tomato powder to a glass
Blot extra juice on the slices
container with a tightfitting
with a paper towel. Spray the
lid. Store in a cool place,
dehydrator trays with a very
away from direct sunlight.
light coating of vegetable oil
The powder can be used like
spray or rub them with just a
stock powder and to add
touch of olive oil to prevent
tang to a variety of dishes.
tomatoes from sticking. Place
Tomatoes freeze very well.
tomatoes cut-side up on
Skin and remove seeds if you
dehydrator trays, about 1cm
want to, cut them in half or
apart. Do not allow tomatoes
quarters or slice and then
to touch. Sprinkle tomatoes
simply put them into freezer
with salt, garlic powder, or
bags. If you are freezing
fresh herbs.
cherry tomatoes, don't bother
Dry the tomatoes, checking
to peel them, but it is worth
them regularly.
taking the time to squeeze
If necessary, rotate racks to
out the fluid and most of the
allow tomatoes to dry evenly.
pips, otherwise when you
Remove pieces that dry
defrost them they are too
before others to prevent them
watery.
from scorching. Average dry
You can cook the tomatoes
time in a dehydrator is eight
first and this is a good idea if
to twelve hours. Dried
you are using large heritage
tomatoes will be reduced in
tomatoes, which produce a
size, shrivelled and leathery,
great deal of fluid. This you
but not sticky. Remove
can drain off and set aside to
tomatoes fro H HZ Y