Many people want to make dressings and condiments with dried tomatoes, especially little jars of dried tomatoes with olive oil, garlic and herbs. To do this, start by placing some dried tomato slices in a heat proof bowl, and cover them with boiling water for one minute before draining off the water. In addition to kick-starting the rehydration process, the boiling water disinfects the dried tomatoes, which go into the dehydrator straight from the garden, and thus could harbor pathogens.

You can now pack the tomatoes into clean jars, cutting them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add a few cloves of sliced garlic and a bit of salt, and cover with good quality olive oil. Keep at room temperature for a couple of days, and then store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Simple vinaigrette salad dressings are easily revved up with crushed dried tomatoes, which rehydrate in about 30 minutes in an oil-vinegar mixture. If you prefer a creamy dressing, add yogurt or mayo, and puree the dressing with an immersion blender.