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                          SUN DRIED TOMATO DIP

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Dips                             Microwave

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1/2   lb           Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Dry
                       (Not In Oil)
  2       c            Water
 10       md           Cloves Garlic, Peeled
  1 1/2   ts           Oregano, Dried
  1 1/2   ts           Thyme, Dried
  1 1/4   c            Olive Oil
    1/4   c            Vegetable Oil

 MICROWAVE OVEN METHOD: Combine tomatoes, water, garlic, oregano and thyme
 in a 13x9x2-inch oval glass or ceramic dish.  Cover tightly with microwave
 plastic wrap. Cook at 100% in a high-wattage oven for 8 minutes. Prick
 plastic to release steam. Remove from oven and uncover.  Stir well.
 Re-cover and cook for 8 minutes longer.  Prick plastic to release steam.
 Remove from oven and uncover.  Stir well and allow to stand, stirring
 occasionally, until cool and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer
 to a 1-1/2-quart souffle dish.  Pour 3/4 cup of the olive oil and the
 vegetable oil over the tomato mixture. Cover tightly with microwave plastic
 wrap and cook for 5 minutes.  Prick plastic to release steam. Remove from
 oven and uncover.  Stir and allow to stand until cool. Transfer to the work
 bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape into a large bowl
 and stir in remaining olive oil if serving immediately. Otherwise, pack in
 a refrigerator storage container with a tightly fitting lid. The dip will
 keep as long as a month, so think about making the whole quantity.
 STOVE-TOP METHOD: Cover sun-dried tomatoes with water in nonreactive
 saucepan. Bring to a boil over med heat, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to a
 simmer and cook, covered, for 22 minutes. Allow to cool. Drain. Cook with
 oil, garlic, oregano and thyme over low heat, covered, for 20 minutes.
 Puree. Above makes 3 cups. Author's note: The sun-dried tomato dip is a
 real breakthrough.  At a recent cocktail party, 7 guests demanded the
 recipe. Buying sun-dried tomatoes dry in bulk instead of packed in oil
 makes them less expensive. Reviving them in the microwave means that you
 can use a minimum of liquid for optimum intensity of flavor. Then they be
 packed up in good quality olive oil (much better than that which comes with
 them in jars) to use as needed or to turn into this dip, with its rich,
 mystifying flavor.  The dip keeps for weeks in the refrigerator. You will
 want to have the ubiquitous sliced raw vegetables; fennel does well with
 this dip. You don't have to use a microwave oven; you can still make this
 dip even if it is slightly less intense in flavor. The reward is the
 cooking water. Save it to use for boiling pasta. Cooked either way, this
 dip makes a delicious pasta sauce. Below are timings for other amounts of
 sun-dried tomatoes so that you can multiply and divide the recipe as you
 want.  Almost every informal party requires at least one dip. Allow 1/4 cup
 per guest.  At bigger parties, I often supply two or three, spacing them
 around the room(s) with dippers at each location. MICROWAVE OVEN METHOD:
 FOR 1/4 POUND DRIED TOMATOES: With 1 cup water in a 2-1/2 quart souffle
 dish, cook, covered, at 100% in a high-wattage oven 5 minutes; prick
 plastic to release steam; stir; cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. In a
 low-wattage oven, cook 9 minutes and 9 minutes. FOR 1/2 POUND DRIED
 TOMATOES: With 2 cups water in a 13x9x2-inch oval glass or ceramic dish,
 cook in a high-wattage oven 8 minutes, then 8 minutes. In a low-wattage
 oven, cook 12 minutes and 14 minutes. FOR 1 POUND DRIED TOMATOES: With 4
 cups water in a 5-quart casserole, cook in a high-wattage oven 14 minutes,
 then 14 minutes.  In a low-wattage oven, cook 20 minutes and 20 minutes.
 STOVE-TOP METHOD: Cover sun-dried tomatoes with water in a nonreactive
 saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to
 a simmer and cook, covered, for 22 minutes. Allow to cool. Drain. Recipe
 from "Party Food" by Barbara Kafka. Source: Party Food by Barbara Kafka



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