Dehydrated food takes on an unexpected, exquisite turn in aesthetic, taste, texture…with huge payoffs in flavor. Here are some of the nuances I’ve discovered for dehyrating fruits and vegetables to use in your inspired kitchen!
Find a high quality Food Dehydrator
I’ve used this Cosori dehydrator, pictured below. I like the quality and value of this one. It’s a premium brand with stainless steel construction. Of note, there are several mesh trays that stack neatly in the oven, allowing you to dehyrate 5 rows at a time. The operation is quiet, setting options vast. Also, price! I wanted to stay at less than $150, Cosori delivers on that too! Sturdy, heavy side open door, excellent crafstmanship, simple digital operation with many preset options. It’s also aesthetically pleasing, requiring just a tad of shelf space in your kitchen. There are other dehydrators in the Cosori line with more trays. This is a perfect size for home use. I love it.
Cosori Food Dehydrator
Step One ~ Select your foods to dehydrate:
- Here, an assortment of cherry tomatoes from my garden for homemade sundried tomatoes: Heirloom Cherokee Purple, Chadwick Cherry, San Marzano, Sungold
- Prep: Wash and dry thoroughly. I like leaving stems on if they are delicate.
Step Two ~ The Cuts:
- Varying Cuts for beauty and flavor: Cutting the tomatoes lengthwise exposes all their flavorful seeds, and allows the tomato’s richness to come alive. Note also the quarter cuts and half cuts. Each alters the texture and moisture. Since moisture creates an opportunity for bacteria to grow, for my homemade sundried tomatoes I want dried tomatoes that have a soft leathery mouth feel. The shelf life for the sundried tomatoes then lengthens to 6 weeks in the refrigerator for optimum taste.
- Rack Placement Matters: Placing the tomatoes flesh side down on the drying rack allows for more moisture retention after drying, hence a plumper result. Placing the tomatoes flesh side up creates a dried tomato that has less moisture, and an appealing, chewy texture. Seeded cherries have an intense, rich flavor.
Step Three ~ The Bake:
- How long to cook? I’ve used the preset for fruit here, as the tomatoes have high water content.
- Drying Time? Six hours
Step Four ~ After Baking:
- Flavor, Texture, Aesthetic: Those exquisite seeds are imbedded in the soft leather of the fruit. The Cherokee Purples produced a drier, almost crisp texture. Fabulous on salads!
- Adding Toppings: Fruit is elevated with dry spices, seeds. From top left, kiwi, pear with sesame seeds, and apples with cinnamon.
The flavor options for creating dishes with dried food are endless. We will continue to explore more combinations and recipes in the coming months!
Recipes ~
My Homemade Sundried Tomatoes elevate a luxurious caprese spread. The dried tomatoes add a rich, velvety intensity against the mozzarella and fresh basil. Crispy crostini finishes the appetizer platter. Get the recipe here.
Dried Fruit Charcuterie Board ~
A charcuterie board filled with dried strawberries, pink grapefruit, lemon, lime, banana, kiwi, apple, pear, and red onion. Fabulous for cocktail garnishes, simple, healthy snacking, salads and more. Add dried citrus to your baked protein before baking for an intense flavor infusion.
