Photo: Jennifer Iserloh

Remember when sun-dried tomatoes were trendy in the 1980s? They were considered chic, foreign, even elegant. I remember one of my first experiences eating them in a Pittsburgh restaurant called Café Allegro.

I had a Gorgonzola-stuffed pear -- which I still think about to this day -- and creamy, luscious bow-tie pasta with plumped sun-dried tomatoes soaked in oil.

These tomatoes are so sweet and tangy. Why did they fall out of favor?

As winter approaches, sun-dried tomatoes become part of the list of pantry staples, so I can continue to cook with some summery flavors, perfectly preserved for winter cooking.

Tomatoes also happen to be high in lycopene -- a powerful antioxidant in the red pigment of the skin of the tomatoes. Lycopene, currently being studied for its potential to fight cancer, may not be an essential nutrient, however it's easy to add to your diet since tomatoes are a staple in so many recipes.

I store my sun-dried tomatoes in the freezer, but they also keep extremely well in oil in the refrigerator.

Spicy Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 4

1 15-ounce can white beans, such as navy, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried chile such as arbol, crumbled, or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
Dash of hot sauce such as Tabasco
15-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Place the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl with 1/4 cup boiling hot water. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Remove the tomatoes but reserve the soaking liquid. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and chile.

Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the wine and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the wine decrease by one third. Add the hot sauce, chicken broth and beans. Cook 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid decreases by half.

Serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil and a slice of crusty, toasted whole wheat baguette.

Learn more about Jennifer at skinnychef.com, and read her exclusive Slashfood blogs every Monday and Friday.