Name: Peppered Oven-Dried Tomato Relish
Total time: 5 h
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1/4 cup cracked black peppercorns; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 2 pounds plum tomatoes (as uniform in size as possible), halved lengthwise, cored, seeded and skin pricked 6 to 8 times with tip of a sharp knife, (see illustrations); 1 red onion, peeled and diced small; 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves; 1/4 cup capers; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Why This Recipe Works

We developed our oven-dried tomato recipe to eliminate the need to purchase sun-dried tomatoes. In the process we learned a few tricks. Slicing the tomatoes in half lengthwise before coring them proved useful, as did scooping out all the seeds and gelatinous matter with a teaspoon. In the oven, the tomatoes dried most evenly on a wire rack placed on a foil-lined tray to catch any juices. We also found that a low oven temperature of 200 degrees worked better for our oven-dried tomato recipe than the low temperatures found in many cookbooks.

Before You Begin

This relish is great with grilled meat of any kind or with strongly flavored fish such as bluefish.

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, cracked black pepper, kosher salt, and minced garlic and mix well.

Rub mixture onto cut surfaces of tomato halves.

Adjust oven racks to middle and low positions; heat oven to 200 degrees. Line large tray or cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

Place tomatoes, cut side down, on large wire rack. Set wire rack on middle oven rack and foil-lined tray on lower rack. Dry, oven door closed, until desired texture is attained, 3 to 4 hours for plump tomatoes. When dry and cool, place in airtight containers. (Plump tomatoes caan be stored refrigerated for 1 to 2 weeks.)

When tomatoes cool to room temperature, chop coarsely and place in large bowl. Add diced onion, chopped basil, capers, olive oil, vinegar, and season to taste.