Categories: Dips, Microwave 
      Yield: 1 servings 
  
    1/2 lb Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Dry         1 1/2 ts Oregano, Dried 
           (Not In Oil)                    1 1/2 ts Thyme, Dried 
      2 c  Water                           1 1/4 c  Olive Oil 
     10 md Cloves Garlic, Peeled             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