OVEN DRIED PRESERVED TOMATO

(Recipe from Cornersmith Picklery)

Ingredients:

2kg tomatoes

150ml of olive oil or vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

1.5 cup vinegar

3/4 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

Optional flavours: garlic, peppercorns, thyme, oregano, basil stems etc

Method:

Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature it can go. You can also use a dehydrator if you have one. Wash your tomatoes and half or quarter depending on size. Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or on a wire rack over a baking tray and sprinkle with salt. Put into the oven. For ovens set to 100 degrees, the tomatoes can take 7-9 hours to dry. Ovens set on 65 degrees can take 10-12 hours. If your oven feels too hot, you can wedge the door open with a wooden spoon to increase airflow. You want your tomatoes to be mostly dried, but maintain some plumpness.

Let the tomatoes cool completely while you sterilise your jars (Google is good for sterilisation tips). Make the pickling brine by putting the vinegar, water and sugar into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat.

Add in any additional flavours to your jars, and with small tongs or clean hands, carefully pack the dried tomatoes into the jars. Pour the hot brine over ¾ of the tomatoes, lightly press on tomatoes to remove air bubbles, making sure tomatoes are completely submerged. Fill the remainder of the jar with oil before sealing well.

Store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. If the weather is particularly hot, store in the fridge.