Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Part 2

not pretty. or quite crispy.

ah the texture!

Day 2 of experimental drying of tomatoes was a bit of a let down.  It turns out that these tomatoes needed 24+ hours for drying.  Maybe it was the high humidity (it rained and was humid on Saturday), maybe they ought to have been warmed up for longer (I did just 3 hours in the oven).  Who knows.  I ran out of patience and was very hungry so I just threw them into the soup in a  semi-dried state.  They still taste good and have a good texture, and that's all that counts. 

The recipe, which I am having a very hard time finding online, is definitely a keeper!  It's from an article in Real Simple titled "A Taste of Umami: 6 Delicious Recipes," and I made a few adjustments to fit my kitchen

Braised Beef with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and White Beans

2 TB olive oil

1.5lb beef chuck, cut into 1.5" pieces

2 medium onions, cut into .5" wedges

1-2 cloves garlic, diced

4 cups chicken broth

salt'n'pepa (the spices, not the singers)

1 cup sundried tomatoes

thyme (which I left out)

2 15.5oz cans of white beans, rinsed (I only added one can)

brown the chuck pieces over medium heat in a few TBs of oil

throw into crockpot (high heat) with the broth, leaving grease in pan

brown onions and garlic in pan, add to crock pot after a few minutes 

add tomatoes

heat in crockpot on high for 1-1.5 hours

add beans and mix.  heat for 5-10 minutes and serve with parmesan cheese!

in my eyes, very few soups/pastas are complete without parmesan :-)

Experiment of the Day: Sun-Died Tomatoes

I am in need of sun-dried tomatoes for a braised beef recipe, and instead of buying, I thought I would attempt to make them myself.

The humidity is too high and it's not warm enough  (not to mention there is no sun in Dallas today) for actual sun-drying. I am using our oven for the drying of these tomatoes, but you can bet your sweet bippy that I will be attempting sun-drying this summer!

I started the process at about 11am today and most likely won't be done until 11pm this evening. This is a two part post, which I will continue tomorrow.

Here's the dehydration recipe http://www.food.com/recipe/make-your-own-sun-dried-tomatoes-oven-dehydrator-or-sun-263929

Cored and de-seeded, halved, and placed in the oven a bit lower than 200 degrees for 3 hours, door propped open

They teach us cardiac and pulmonary medicine for two months and of course i will see hearts (two chambered anyway) and lungs everywhere. 

the basil

the oregano

and the salt sprinkle, a small bit placed atop each half

Post-oven, pre-smushing.  Let the games begin!