Recipes by Scott Daigre and Mark Donofrio adapted from Tomatomania! A Fresh Approach to Celebrating Tomatoes in the Garden and in the Kitchen by Scott Daigre and Jenn Garbee.
Special thanks to Houwelings in Oxnard, Underwood Family Farms in Somis, and Rainbow Bridge Market in Ojai for providing tomatoes for these photographs.
Ingredients
- 5-6 ripe beefsteak tomatoes
- seasonings of your choice
Preparation
Rather than add a beefsteak slice on a juicy hamburger this summer, amaze your friends and neighbors when you put your favorite beefsteak on the side! This supporting player can be green, yellow, orange or whatever color happens to be ready in your garden. Shape doesn’t matter, the more unique the better.
Choose a tomato that’s completely colored but not yet as soft as you might want it for a burger. Cut into thin slices (you could use a mandoline but those are scary) and sprinkle on a light layer of your favorite spice mix or dried herb. Any seasoned salt will work nicely.
Arrange the slices on your dehydrator* trays or slats and dry them till they are crisp, usually 8-10 hours.
Parchment paper or application of a light nonstick spray will help you remove them more easily later. Thicker slices may take longer but hold up better.
These could also be dried in the sun but we find they wrinkle more. But hey, why not try it?
*If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven instead. If you have a “warm” setting, that will be perfect. If not, set it on its lowest setting, 150—200°F. Then crack the oven door open. Rotate about halfway through drying, at around 5 hours.
