How do I prepare soft dried tomatoes?

Hello Illan

Its hard to go back and soften it now after you soak them in oil. Also, when buying dried tomatoes elsewhere you can't tell which methods were used for drying, which chemicals were added etc. Hence, it is always adviseble to make your own .

just in case, here is the system:

Place tomato halves, on baking sheet. Sprinkle whichever herbs and seasoning you like incl. salt & pepper , drizzle olive oil over it.

Bake until tomatoes begin to shrink and are slightly dried but still soft on 160*C. Cool and store . (up to 6 hrs)

In summer when the sun is hot , it is better to soak it under the hot sun until completely dry , then you can put in in jars covered with olive oil and your favorites herbs.

My favorite herbed oil:  tons of garlic, 1 cup green leaves and herbs of your favorite, all covered by olive oil (about 1-2 cups depends on jar size). Place herbs together with the oil in a blender and blend until all herbs has been ground into small pieces. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy

Elinoar M. aka lior8

http://elinoar8.bravejournal.com/

http://www.cuisinemiddleast.com/

Elinoar is right on the money

However - if you prefer to use supermarket-dried tomatoes instead of making your own from scratch, you can soften them BEFORE puting them in the oil.

Simply place them in a bowl and pour boiling water. Let soak for a few minutes till they soften and puff up a little - use your judgement here, but don't let them softer completely through.

Don't forget to dry your tomatoes before you cover them in oil.