Savory Oven Dried Tomatoes (and a quick tomato tart recipe)
August 27, 2012
There are certain foods I count on to take me through the dreary winter months. Summer tomatoes are without a doubt on the top of that list. We are not fantastic tomato growers, but each year I scan the plant sales and farmers’ markets for ten or so tomato plants to sink into our backyard garden. At least one of those plants must be a Principe Borghese. This heirloom tomato is a bit larger than a grape tomato and bred to be dried, If you cannot find that variety, any Roma type or smaller tomato will do. While I have sliced and tossed these beauties into my dehydrator, I much prefer to dry them in the oven.
Savory Oven Dried Tomatoes are unlike the brittle sun-dried tomatoes found in stores. They are dehydrated only to the point that their juices intensify and the flesh develops a slight chewiness. Because they still have some moisture to them, they are not shelf stable and must be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Dry a few baking sheets worth and enjoy them through the winter. These oven dried tomatoes taste great in any number of dishes. Toss them on pizzas or into a simple pasta dish, lay them in frittatas, or on a simple Oven Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart.
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Three Berry Jam
July 6, 2011
My family and I just returned from a delightful escape from reality in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Without the modern distractions of cars, phones, and computers, our days were peacefully filled with banana slug hunts, star gazing, and swimming until we pruned. It was a much needed pause in an otherwise busy life, a centering of sorts. But alas, there are other responsibilities to which we must tend. Some are grudgingly attended- bill paying, laundry folding, car repairing. Other responsibilities are the important rituals of life that help to make meaning and define some of the rhythms of our family life. At the top of the list during this time of year is preserving the glorious bounty of summer.
Berry season is short, so we rely on the craft of jam making to preserve these flavors for the dark days. On our way home, we stopped into Gizdich Ranch and picked up a flat each of raspberries and ollalie berries. I combined these two berries with some strawberries I froze last month to create a mixed berry jam.
My Pantry Shelf 