Post: Food Heroes 2

INGREDIENTS

TOMATO ESSENCE

• tomatoes 750g, ripe, roughly chopped
• onion 1/4, roughly chopped
• cucumber 1/4, roughly chopped
• celery 1/2 stick, roughly chopped
• garlic 1 small clove, chopped
• red pepper 1/4, roughly chopped
• fennel 1/4, roughly chopped
• sugar 1/4 tsp
• salt 1/4 tsp
• cayenne pepper a pinch

GARNISH

• goat’s cheese 50g, rind removed
• red cherry tomatoes 12
• yellow cherry tomatoes 12
• salt 1/4 tsp
• sugar 1/2 tsp
• smoked paprika a pinch
• pine nuts 25g, toasted
• basil a small bunch, shredded

METHOD

Step 1 Wrap the goat’s cheese tightly in clingfilm and freeze for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight.

Step 2 For the tomato essence, add all of the ingredients to a bowl, mix well, cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

Step 3 Pour the mix into a food processor and pulse several times until it’s a rough pulp. Pour into a large mixing bowl lined with a double layer of clean muslin. Tie together the 4 corners of the muslin with string and suspend over the bowl – we do this using the taps above a sink or two overturned chairs and a broom handle. Leave to hang for at least 4 hours.

Step 4 Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the cherry tomatoes for 15-20 seconds before plunging straight into iced water. Peel and put into a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar and smoked paprika, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Step 5 When ready to serve, warm the tomato essence in a pan. Divide the peeled tomatoes between bowls, sprinkle with pine nuts and basil, and grate over the frozen goat’s cheese so that it completely hides the tomatoes. Pour the warmed tomato essence at the table, if you like.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from Olive Magazine’s, Tommy Banks’ tomato salad with shaved goat’s cheese

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