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Heritage Tomatoes; Goats Curd; Green Tomato Sauce & Garden Herbs

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24 May 2020

Celebrate British Tomato Fortnight, Monday 25th May to Sunday 7th June, with a pared-down version of one of our classic tomato dishes. Serves four.

Most ingredients are readily available online. If you cannot source baby heritage tomatoes from your local grower, you should find them at either Waitrose or Booths.

If you don’t have a blowtorch, you can blanch the tomatoes instead. A separate method for blanching is outlined below. By using the blow torch to skin the tomatoes you will retain more flavour.

Ingredients

  • 100g goats curd
  • 40 baby heritage tomatoes
  • Garden herbs

For the tomato sauce:

  • 1kg plum tomatoes
  • 1 dash of tabasco
  • 1 bunch of basil
  • 100 ml orange juice
  • 50ml water
  • 50g sugar & 50g white wine vinegar mixed
  • Pinch of salt

To finish the sauce:

  • 50g baby spinach
  • 100g green tomatoes

Method using blowtorch

  • Take the Baby Heritage Tomatoes and discard any green stems/leaves, then use a small sharp knife to cut out the eye of the tomato (where the stalk meets the fruit). Turn over the tomato and use your knife to cross the top
  • Then get a tray with a cooling rack on top. Place 10 tomatoes at a time on the cooling rack and blowtorch the skin so it blisters and peels off. This should take no longer than 20 seconds per tomato. Repeat the process with the rest of the tomatoes 10 at a time.
  • When they have all been blowtorched the tomatoes skin should easily peel off. You can use a j-cloth to gently rub the skin off
  • Next, cut a small slice off the bottom of each tomato so it can sit upright
  • Now take 20 of the tomatoes and cut out the seed on the inside of the tomato using a paring knife and a small spoon. This is so you can fill the tomatoes with goat’s curd later
  • Leave the tomatoes out at room temperature with a cloth on top whilst you complete the next steps
  • For the tomato sauce, take all the ingredients and blend in a food processor for 30 seconds. Then get a large bowl and place a sieve on top. Cover the sieve with a kitchen towel or j-cloth. Pass the sauce through the cloth. You should be left with a clear tomato liquid
  • Then take the clear liquid and blend it on high speed with the spinach and green tomatoes for 1 minute
  • Put the sauce in the fridge to chill slightly
  • Next put the goat’s curd in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Whip the curd with a spatula to soften then put in a piping bag. Cut a small hole at the end of the bag and pipe into each of the 20 prepared tomatoes

Method using blanching

  • Fill a large bowl with water and ice
  • Next, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil
  • Whilst the water is heating up prepare the Baby Heritage Tomatoes. Discard any green stems/leaves, then use a small sharp knife to cut out the eye of the tomato (where the stalk meets the fruit). Turn over the tomato and use your knife to cross the top
  • When the water has come up to the boil drop in 10 tomatoes. Blanch for 10 seconds then take out with a slotted spoon and put into the ice water. Repeat the process with the rest of the tomatoes 10 at a time
  • When they have all been blanched, drain off the ice water. The tomatoes skin should easily peel off. Do this with all the tomatoes and put onto a cloth to drain
  • Next, cut a small slice off the bottom of each tomato so it can sit upright
  • Now take 20 of the tomatoes and cut out the seed on the inside of the tomato using a paring knife and a small spoon. This is so you can fill the tomatoes with goat’s curd later
  • Leave the tomatoes out at room temperature with a cloth on top
  • For the tomato sauce, take all the ingredients and blend in a food processor for 30 seconds. Then get a large bowl and place a sieve on top. Cover the sieve with a kitchen towel or j-cloth. Pass the sauce through the cloth. You should be left with a clear tomato liquid
  • Then take the clear liquid and blend it on high speed with the spinach and green tomatoes for 1 minute
  • Put the sauce in the fridge to chill slightly
  •  Next put the goat’s curd in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Whip the curd with a spatula to soften then put in a piping bag. Cut a small hole at the end of the bag and pipe into each of the 20 prepared tomatoes

To plate up

  • Take the tomatoes and brush with a small amount of rapeseed oil. Then season with sea salt
  • Arrange the tomatoes in a circle on a plate with a small gap in the middle for the sauce. Use 5 tomatoes filled with goat’s curd and 5 whole tomatoes per person
  • Then on top of the tomatoes arrange the garden herbs. You can use any edible herbs or flowers such as nasturtiums, fennel tops, chive flowers, viola flowers or sorrels
  • Finally, before you serve, pour the green tomato sauce into the centre of the tomatoes
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