Sun-Dried Satisfaction

Some sweetheart of a reader actually emailed me the other day to ask why my recipe posts have been so infrequent lately. “Are you alright, dearie? Shall I send vegan snacks?”
Awww. Well, I’ll always take snacks. But I’m fine. All things considered, I’m much more than fine.
Healthy (knock on wood), & dare I say prosperous?
I still cook daily, and even still experiment in the kitchen. My food is even simpler now & I find myself relying on ingredients that really pack a flavorful punch.

Hence, sun-dried tomatoes. You are probably already well aware that sun-drieds have the ability to completely transform a dish by adding just a tablespoon or two.
Typically I buy them jarred in olive oil. And most likely I will continue to buy them.
But when your favorite produce stand gifts you with a gigantoid box of love with the instruction, “use these today or tomorrow at the very latest”, you thank them and skip on home to do some damage.

I made marinara, of course. I made an impromptu roasted eggplant lasagna type of thingy. I think those oranges made it into a sangria.
And the remaining tomatoes were used to make sun-drieds. Well, technically “oven-drieds”.

Stubbornly, I didn’t even bother to look up a recipe.
I just cut the tomatoes into chunks, squeezing out the seeds as I went.
Lined a sheet pan with parchment and then tomatoes. Sprinkled with sea salt.
Slid into a cool oven which I then set as low as possible, 250 degrees.
And let ’em go.
For hours.
Until they were a little leathery but not crisp.
Sumptuous tomato candy…

Then I piled them into a jar with olive oil and some Italian seasoning.
Done. And just as delicious as the jarred versions. Maybe moreso.

Now, would I continue to make them despite the ease? Honestly, not likely. The drying process really cuts your yield. It takes A LOT of fresh tomatoes to make even a cup of dried tomatoes.
Unless you grow them yourself or get them gifted it really is less expensive to just buy them.

I’ll share my favorite simple recipe using sun-dried tomatoes, though. Soon.
Right now I’m headed back into my vat o’ vintage clothing in preparation for Spring.
Great stuff afoot.