(raw vegan, vegan, gluten-free)
Nothing’s tastier than a perfectly and properly ripened summer tomato, except taking them and slow roasting or drying them either via conventional oven or dehydrator. I make these all the time when I get good Romas (aka plum) and I warn you, they are addictive. The result, particularly for the slow-roasted method, is the ultimate tomatoey-rich, sweet, melt in your mouth, heavenly intensity. They make the richest, most splendid tasting tomato sauce of life. If you have not tried this before, do it NOW.
You can use other varieties of tomatoes but I highly recommend the Roma variety as they have a lower moisture content and a more intense tomato flavor to being with. In essence, Romas were made for this method.
One to two pounds of tomatoes should get you started for a good sized batch. Halve them vertically and put them in a big mixing bowl. Then add some herbs, a few fresh and dried, of whatever you have on hand. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, tarragon, lavender, chives, and dill are great choices. For this batch I used a bunch of fresh chopped thyme and a sprinkling of dried oregano. Remember to be more conservative with dried herbs since they’re more intense than fresh.
Now add a big fat garlic clove or two, minced. Gently toss to evenly distribute herbs and garlic. Get some good balsamic vinegar and carefully drizzle and toss just enough that the vinegar kisses each tomato. Sprinkle in sea salt and black pepper…not to much, though! Remember, these are very special tomatoes and you have to treat them like little jewels. Finally, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and toss again. Now let them sit and do their thing, absorbing and bathing in the delicious marinade you just gave them, for about 30 minutes. If oven-roasting, preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Now remove the tomatoes from the bowl and lay them all out nicely on a baking sheet, or dehydrator trays if dehydrating. Do not discard the marinade left at the bottom of the bowl! This stuff is like liquid gold…throw in some greens of choice (arugula is fabulous), toss, and say, “Mmmmmmm!” Roast the tomatoes in the oven for about 8 hours, or dehydrate for 18-24 hours.
The primary taste difference between the roasting versus dehydrating will be that the roasted version will retain all of the flavorful juices and therefore, have a richer flavor. The longer you dehydrate the tomatoes, they will, well, dehydrate. They will not taste quite as intense, but still lovely nonetheless. Take your newly transformed tomatoes and add them to pasta, salads, or any dish that calls for tomatoey goodness. These are sure to add a fantastic, unique dimension and flavor depth.
<3, JMK
