Tomato salad with guacamole, black garlic and essence vinaigrette

by Phil Fanning
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4
50 minutes

Ingredients

Tomato essence

  • 450g of tomatoes, ripe
  • 20g of sun-dried tomatoes
  • 10g of shallots, chopped
  • 50g of fennel, chopped
  • 0.5g of garlic
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp tarragon leaves
  • 10 basil leaves
  • 1 tsp Maldon salt
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Tabasco, to taste

Guacamole

  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 pinches of ascorbic acid
  • 1 Hass avocado, ripe, peeled and pitted
  • 1/4 garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp of shallots, finely diced
  • 1/2 red chilli, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp of chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp of chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp of oregano

Tomatoes

  • 1 beef tomato
  • 4 cherry tomatoes, large and ripe
  • 4 heritage tomatoes, ideally a mix of colours

Tomato essence gel

  • 2 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pinch of xanthan gum
  • 1 pinch of ultratex

Black garlic and olive tapenade

  • 70g of Kalamata olives
  • 15g of black garlic
  • 1/4 garlic clove
  • 15g of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 pinch of thyme leaves
  • salt

To garnish

  • 5 black olives, washed
  • 20g of ewe's cheese, ideally Sharpham, frozen
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 8 nasturtium leaves, small
  • fennel fronds
  • coriander flowers

Method

1
Place the 5 black olives in a dehydrator and leave until completely dry and crisp. Finely chop into a crumb, then set aside in an airtight container until ready to serve
  • 5 black olives, washed
2
To make the tomato essence, place all the ingredients (apart from the Tabasco) in a blender and blitz until very smooth. Strain the mixture through a muslin cloth set over a bowl in the fridge while you get on with the rest of the dish
  • 450g of tomatoes, ripe
  • 20g of sun-dried tomatoes
  • 10g of shallots, chopped
  • 50g of fennel, chopped
  • 0.5g of garlic
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp tarragon leaves
  • 10 basil leaves
  • 1 tsp Maldon salt
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
3
To make the guacamole, place all the ingredients apart from the coriander, parsley and oregano into a blender and blitz until smooth. Fold in the herbs and transfer to a piping bag
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 pinches of ascorbic acid
  • 1 Hass avocado, ripe, peeled and pitted
  • 1/4 garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp of shallots, finely diced
  • 1/2 red chilli, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp of chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp of chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp of oregano
4
Make the tapenade by blending all the ingredients in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a piping bag and store in the fridge until ready to serve
  • 70g of Kalamata olives
  • 15g of black garlic
  • 1/4 garlic clove
  • 15g of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 pinch of thyme leaves
  • salt
5
Prepare the tomatoes. Cut the tops off the cherry tomatoes and blanch for 3 seconds in boiling salted water. Immediately refresh in iced water, then remove the skins and seeds. Pipe guacamole into each tomato and set aside
  • 4 cherry tomatoes, large and ripe
6
Quarter and deseed the heritage tomatoes, then cut into tear or petal shapes. Add to a vacuum bag with a little of the strained tomato essence, compress and seal and set aside
  • 4 heritage tomatoes, ideally a mix of colours
7
Take the beef tomato and cut it into a square. Slice into 1cm strips, then portion into cubes. Set aside
  • 1 beef tomato
8
Once the tomato essence has strained through the muslin, take 100g of the liquid and mix with the sherry vinegar. Add the ultratex and xanthum to thicken it (you may need a little more or little less ultratex to achieve the desired consistency). Whisk in the olive oil, add a few drops of Tabasco to taste and transfer to a squeezy bottle for serving
  • 2 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 pinch of ultratex
  • 1 pinch of xanthan gum
  • 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Tabasco, to taste
9
You now have all the elements ready to assemble the dish. Roll the guacamole-stuffed tomatoes in the dehydrated olive and place in the middle of each bowl. Arrange the cubes of beef tomato and compressed tomato petals around it (seasoning with salt as you go), then pipe dots of tapenade, tomato gel and any remaining guacamole in between. Dice the avocado and add cubes to each bowl, then finish with the nasturtium leaves, fennel fronds and coriander flowers. Finally, finely grate the frozen cheese over the top and pour a little leftover tomato essence into the base of each bowl. Serve immediately
  • 20g of ewe's cheese, ideally Sharpham, frozen
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 8 nasturtium leaves, small
  • fennel fronds
  • coriander flowers