Sun Dried Tomatoes

Photo: flickr user diongillard

About

Dehydrated whole tomatoes that are concentrated in tomato flavor; best used in salads or non-tomato based pasta sauces. Some sun dried tomatoes are salted before they are dried, this keeps the softer, more moist and intensifies the flavors even more.

Information

Other names: dried tomatoes

Translations: Saulē kaltētiem tomātiem, Saulėje džiovintais pomidorais, Rosii uscate la soare, Suncu sušene rajčice, Cà chua khô CN, Suszonymi pomidorami, Zongedroogde tomaten, रवि टमाटर सूखे, Tomate seco, Вялеными помидорами, Λιαστές Ντομάτες, الطماطم المجففة أحد, Sun은 토마토를 말린, Sušená rajčata, Сушени парадајз, LI pinatuyong kamatis, 晒干西红柿, Tomàquets secs, Ne sušene paradižnike, Sušené paradajky, Pomodori Secchi, עגבניות מיובשות, Soltorkade tomater, Tomat Kering Ming, Sunは、トマトを乾燥, Tomates séchées, Getrockneten Tomaten, Soltørrede tomater, Soltørket tomat, Tomates secos, В'яленими помідорами, Aurinkokuivattuja tomaatteja, Нд сушени домати

Physical Description

Flat, wrinkly, ovoid and bright red. When sold dry, they are leathery and stiff. Packed in oil, they are softer and more pliable.

Colors: Red

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sweet, Sour, Umami

Mouthfeel: Tart, Leathery

Food complements: Pasta, Cream cheese, Basil, Cheese

Wine complements: White wine, Red wine

Beverage complements: Tea, Ginger ale

Substitutes: Canned tomatoes, Fresh tomatoes, Broiled tomatoes, Oven dried tomatoes

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Peak: july, august, september

Buying: Sundried tomatoes are available both jarred and packed in oil and dried. They are available at all grocery stores.

Preparation and Use

Sundried tomatoes packed in oil are ready to use, they can be used whole, julienned or pureed and added to sauces, cheese, cream cheese or eaten straight from the jar.
Dried only, you may want to consider re-constituting them in water, broth or juice, as they will be chewy and leathery.

Cleaning: Cleaning is generally not necessary, however you may wish to rinse dry tomatoes or drain excess oil from those packed in olive oil.

Conserving and Storing

Keep dry tomatoes in an airtight container in the pantry. Tomatoes canned in olive oil can remain in the pantry until opened, then must be refrigerated.

Social/Political

History: Sun dried tomatoes were born in Italy as a way to store fresh tomatoes for the winter. Fresh tomatoes would be dried in the hot sun on the tile roofs as a way to preserve them for the cold months. Today they are still dried in the sun, but in much larger quantities and under strict quality controls.