Episode 57: Leamington Tomatoes
FRESH ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE- “POMODORO FRESCO”
8 to 10 Italian plum roma tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
3 porcini mushrooms, diced
6 basil leaves
Salt and pepper
Preparation time is 30 minutes.
Ease of preparation is moderate.
Make a tomato concasse:
With a knife, make an X mark into the top of each plum tomato. Drop into hot boiling water for 10 seconds and then shock into ice water bath. It will peel easily. Cut into 4 wedges and deseed them.
For the sauce:
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add chopped garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add porcini mushrooms and sauté for a minute. Add tomato concasse to pan and add salt and pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Finish with basil and toss pasta into sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
MOZZARELLA “ALLA CAPRESE”- BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES
1 beefsteak tomato, sliced into 6 slices
6 fresh leaves of basil
1 buffalo mozzarella, from parmesan, sliced into 6 slices
Italian white truffle, one slice per tomato slice
drizzle of truffle oil
Freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
Preparation time is 15 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Layer tomato, basil, mozzarella, and truffle slice. Season with salt & pepper & drizzle oil on top.
Yield: 6 servings
ZABAGLIONE CON POMODORO DOLCE E CIAOCCOLATA
6 egg yolks
¼ cup of sugar
¼ cup of Valrona shaved chocolate
6 tiny pear tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sour cherry extract
Handful of berries, washed and picked over
1 cup of 35% cream, whipped
Preparation time is 40 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Combine egg yolks and sugar over baine marie and whisk until a pale yellow froth is achieved. Slowly add chocolate, whisking until incorporated. Add ½ the chopped tomatoes to the egg yolk and chocolate froth. Add cherry extract to the mixture and add a few whole berries. Refrigerate and let stand for 35 minutes.
To serve, add some whipped cream to the zabaglione to lighten the dish and add some colour. Layer the following in a martini or another lovely shaped glass: Fresh tomato on bottom, berries on top of the tomato, Zabaglione on top of the berries and whipped cream on top of the zabaglione.
Yield: 4-6 servings
