Sun-dried tomato

Last updated
Sun-dried tomatoes Sun-dried tomatoes.jpg
Sun-dried tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are ripe tomatoes that lose most of their water content after spending a majority of their drying time in the sun. These tomatoes are usually pre-treated with sulfur dioxide or salt before being placed in the sun in order to improve colour and appearance. [1] Typically, tomatoes spend 4–10 days in the sun in order for the sun-drying process to be complete. [2] Cherry tomatoes will lose 88% of their initial (fresh) weight, while larger tomatoes can lose up to 93% during the process. As a result, it takes anywhere from 8 to 14 kilograms of fresh tomatoes to make a single kilogram of sun-dried tomatoes.

Contents

After the procedure, the tomato fruits will keep their nutritional value. The tomatoes are high in lycopene, antioxidants, and vitamin C. The final products may contain up to 2–6% of salt and could provide a significant contribution to the day's intake. Sun-dried tomatoes can be used in a wide variety of recipes and come in a variety of shapes, colors, and types of tomato. Traditionally, they were made from dried red plum tomatoes, but they can be purchased in yellow varieties. Sun-dried tomatoes are also available in the form of pastes or purées.

Sun-dried tomatoes are often preserved in sunflower or olive oil, sometimes along with other ingredients such as capers and garlic or with a variety of herbs.

History

Tomatoes were originally salted and dried to preserve the fruit. [3] [ unreliable source? ] Salting and evaporating the moisture out of tomatoes (as with most foods) significantly delays the process of decomposition. By drying ripe tomatoes, these foods could be enjoyed and provide valuable nutrition in the winter when it is difficult or impossible to grow fresh produce. The true origin of sun-dried tomatoes is unclear. Italians originally dried their tomatoes on their ceramic roof-tops in the summer sun. [3] Sun-dried tomatoes surged in popularity in the United States in the late 1980s to early 1990s, where they were often found in antipasto, tapas, pasta dishes and salads, becoming a trend before losing popularity from overuse by the end of the 1990s. [4] [5] [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasta</span> Cooked dough food in Italian cuisine

Pasta is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, are sometimes used in place of wheat flour to yield a different taste and texture, or as a gluten-free alternative. Pasta is a staple food of Italian cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaghetti</span> Type of pasta

Spaghetti is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta. It is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Like other pasta, spaghetti is made of milled wheat, water, and sometimes enriched with vitamins and minerals. Italian spaghetti is typically made from durum-wheat semolina. Usually the pasta is white because refined flour is used, but whole wheat flour may be added. Spaghettoni is a thicker form of spaghetti, while spaghettini is a thinner form. Capellini is a very thin spaghetti, sometimes known colloquially as "angel hair pasta".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tempeh</span> Soy product from Indonesia, used as protein source

Tempeh or tempe is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. A fungus, Rhizopus oligosporus or Rhizopus oryzae, is used in the fermentation process and is also known as tempeh starter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chipotle</span> Smoke-dried jalapeño

A chipotle, or chilpotle, is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in different forms, such as chipotles en adobo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bacalhau</span> Type of Portuguese cod dish

Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as bacalhau fresco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomato paste</span> Paste made from tomatoes

Tomato paste is a thick paste made by cooking tomatoes for several hours to reduce the water content, straining out the seeds and skins, and cooking the liquid again to reduce the base to a thick, rich concentrate. It is used to impart an intense tomato flavour to a variety of dishes, such as pasta, soups and braised meat. It is used heavily in Italian cultured food.

Norwegian cuisine in its traditional form is based largely on the raw materials readily available in Norway and its mountains, wilderness, and coast. It differs in many respects from continental cuisine through the stronger focus on game and fish. Many of the traditional dishes are the result of using conserved materials, necessary because of the long winters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickling</span> Procedure of preserving food in brine or vinegar

Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is called a pickle, or, to prevent ambiguity, prefaced with pickled. Foods that are pickled include vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, dairy and eggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypriot cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Cyprus

Cypriot cuisine is the cuisine of the island of Cyprus, shared by both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomato soup</span> Soup made with tomatoes

Tomato soup is a soup with tomatoes as the primary ingredient. It can be served hot or cold, and may be made in a variety of ways. It may be smooth in texture, and there are also recipes that include chunks of tomato, cream, chicken or vegetable stock, vermicelli, chunks of other vegetables and meatballs. Many companies have their own versions of tomato soup which all vary in taste, portions and ingredients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili sauce and paste</span> Condiment prepared with chili peppers

Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaian cuisine</span> Overview of culinary traditions of Ghana

Ghanaian cuisine is the cuisine of the Ghanaian people. Ghanaian main dishes are organized around a starchy staple food, which goes with a sauce or soup containing a protein source. The main ingredients for the vast majority of soups and stews are tomatoes, hot peppers and onions. As a result, most of the Ghanaian soups and stews are red or orange in appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vegetable</span> Edible plant or part of a plant, involved in cooking

Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, and seeds. An alternative definition of the term is applied somewhat arbitrarily, often by culinary and cultural tradition. It may exclude foods derived from some plants that are fruits, flowers, nuts, and cereal grains, but include savoury fruits such as tomatoes and courgettes, flowers such as broccoli, and seeds such as pulses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West African cuisine</span> Overview of the cuisine of West Africa

West African cuisine encompasses a diverse range of foods that are split between its 16 countries. In West Africa, many families grow and raise their own food, and within each there is a division of labor. Indigenous foods consist of a number of plant species and animals, and are important to those whose lifestyle depends on farming and hunting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preserved lemon</span> Type of pickle

Preserved lemon or lemon pickle is a condiment that is common in the cuisines of Indian subcontinent and Morocco. It's also found in 18th-century English cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigerian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Nigeria

Nigerian cuisine consists of dishes or food items from the hundreds of ethnic groups that comprise Nigeria. Like other West African cuisines, it uses spices and herbs with palm or groundnut oil to create deeply flavored sauces and soups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squid as food</span> Squid used for culinary purposes

Squid is eaten in many cuisines; in English, the culinary name calamari is often used for squid dishes. There are many ways to prepare and cook squid. Fried squid is common in the Mediterranean. In New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, and South Africa, it is sold in fish and chip shops. In Britain, it can be found in Mediterranean 'calamari' or Asian 'salt and pepper fried squid' forms in various establishments, often served as a bar snack, street food, or starter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambal</span> Indonesian spicy relish or sauce

Sambal is an Indonesian chilli sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of a variety of chilli peppers with secondary ingredients such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. Sambal is an Indonesian loanword of Javanese origin. It originated from the culinary traditions of Indonesia and is also an integral part of the cuisines of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Sri Lanka. It has also spread through overseas Indonesian populations to the Netherlands and Suriname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewed tomatoes</span>

Stewed tomatoes is a dish typical of the United States, prepared using fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs, and consumed with bread or meat. Stew refers to the combination of vegetables and food ingredients that are cooked in a liquid medium. Moreover, Stewed Tomatoes is a stew made of tomatoes, it includes cooking the tomato at slow heat to keep its shape intact and only cook to such point that its flavors oozes out in order to create a tangy taste. Eaten both as main dish and a side dish, stewed tomatoes have made a special place for themselves in cuisine of the United States and is prepared on occasions such as Thanksgiving. Although the dish is old, it is still part of the diet of many in the United States. It also has high nutritional value.

References

  1. "Influence of Pre-drying Treatments on Quality and Safety of Sun-dried Tomatoes. Part I: Use of Steam Blanching, Boiling Brine Blanching, and Dips in Salt or Sodium Metabisulfite" (PDF).
  2. "Our Sun Drying Process".
  3. 1 2 "Sun-Dried Tomato History". Archived from the original on 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  4. Moskowitz, Isa (2013). Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week. p. 124.
  5. "17 Hits From the '90s". HuffPost . 8 December 2014.
  6. Shaw, Tucker (2010-11-17). "Sun-dried tomatoes defy hip-shooting". Denver Post. Retrieved 2016-04-05.