31 July 2023

Chicken thighs with cherry salsa


Preheat the oven to 200°C

Hack 50g almond slivers into crumbles

Brush an oven dish with plenty olive oil. Rub 4 boneless chicken thighs with 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp acacia honey, olive oil and salt

Then roll them trough the almonds until completely covered, put them in the oven dish, not touching and roast them about 30 mins.

Turn them halfway and add a little water if the caramelisation goes too quick

In the meantime finely hack 15g coriander, mix with 250g de-stoned (on top of an empty wine bottle, with a chop stick) sweet cherries, the juice of 1/2 lime and the zest of a lime

Deglaze the chicken thighs with the juice of a second lime, add a few tbsp water and stir into a sauce.

Serve as shown, with flatbread or pita to soak op the juices 

(Here Yvette van Boven's original recipe in Dutch)

Follow me on Instagram @peterschoenmaker7 and have a look at my book 'Breakfast in Gascony' on Amazon for your Kindle   

30 July 2023

Nectarine Eton mess


Preheat oven to 100°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

For the meringue, in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk 2 egg whites, 110g caster sugar and 1/3 tsp cream of tartar (or 3/4 tsp lemon juice) for 15 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. 

Spoon meringue onto the prepared tray. Place in oven. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until outside is crisp and dry. Turn off oven and leave in oven to cool completely.

Preheat the oven again to 175°C

Halve 4 yellow nectarines and place them, cut-side up, in a baking dish. Drizzle with 2 tbsp orange blossom water, scatter with 50g caster sugar and add 125ml water. Cover dish with baking paper, then foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, place 80g blueberries, 1,5 tbs water and 30g sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until syrupy. Cool completely.

Break the meringues into shards and divide among bowls. 

Whisk 150ml double cream and 20g sugar to soft peaks, then whisk in 50g creme fraiche until thick and combined. Spoon over meringue. 

Spoon over nectarines, cooking juices and blueberry mixture. 

Scatter over crushed, roasted shortbread and serve immediately. 

(Here Phoeby Wood's original recipe)

Follow me on Instagram @peterschoenmaker7 and have a look at my book 'Breakfast in Gascony' on Amazon for your Kindle   

25 July 2023

Roasted cauliflower on Hummus


Choose first: do 
you want to make the hummus in the original way it's done in Tel Aviv? It's quite a bit of work, but gets you a very good hummus.

The alternative: use Simon Hopkinsons recipe. Simply open a can or bottle of cooked chickpeas, save the cooking liquid and rinse the peas before tipping them on a clean tea towel. Cover with a second towel and rub the peas with 2 hands to remove the skins.

Put 150g peas in the food processor with 50g tahin, 2 tbsp cooking liquid, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp ground cumin

Let the machine do the work for the next 10 mins. Add a bit of water from time to time)

                                                   ***

If you prefer the Tel Aviv method start a day in advance: soak 100g chickpeas in water water with 1/2 tsp baking soda, for at least 12 hrs

The next day make the hummus: heat your highest (soup)pan, drain the chickpeas that have been soaking overnight, put them in the hot pan with 1/2 tsp baking soda and a little bit of water. Bake them for 3 mins, keep stirring and if necessary add water to avoid burning.

Transfer the pan to the sink and fill with 2 liters of cold water. As soon as the peas are cold enough massage them between your hands to remove the skins. 

Turn the tap at full power, the peas will stay at the bottom and the skins will float to the surface. Pour out the water to remove the skins. Repeat this a few times

Transfer the peas to a low pan, refresh the water, the peas should be under 3 cm of water, and bring to the boil.

Skim off the foam and add a clove of garlic. Put on the lid and boil on a low fire till you can crush a chickpea between 2 fingers, which will be after 30-35 mins.

Take of the lid, set the fire on high and, stirring, reduce the liquid, till you're left with a thick pea paste, add 1,5 tsp salt. Cool.

Transfer to the kitchen machine with 90g tahine and the juice of 3/4 lemon.

Here too let the machine do the work for the next 10 mins. Add a bit of water from time to time

Taste and season with salt and maybe some more lemon juice.

When the taste is perfect add more water till the humus has the consistency of Greek yoghurt.

                                                  ***

In the meantime pre-heat the oven at 200°C

Mix the florets of 1/2 cauliflower with a couple of spoonfuls of olive oil, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp curcuma, 1/2 tsp paprika powder and 1/2 tsp ground coriander

Bake in the hot oven for 20 mins, stir halfway

For the herb oil mix in the meantime 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp chiliflakes, hacked parsley and dill and 1 grated clove of garlic.

Bring 50 ml olive oil to the boil then briefly add the herb mix. Let it sizzle for a minute and, when cool, season with 1/2 tsp ahorn syrup and 1/2 tsp salt.

Toast 3 tbsp sesame seeds and some hacked almonds and pistachios in a dry pan

Serve the cauliflower on the  hummus, then pour over the herb oil and finally the toasted nuts.

(Recipe by Emma de Thouars)

Tomatoes with mango miso dressing


First make the mango miso dressing. Put 90 g
mango in the blender with the juice of 1/2 lime, 1,5 tsp white miso and half a teaspoon of salt, and puree well. Pour in 90 ml sunflower oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth dressing, then set aside.

Put 250g mixed ripe tomatoes, small ones cut in half, larger ones cut into quarters and 1/2 ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks of a similar size to the tomatoes in a medium bowl with 80ml of the dressing and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt, mix gently, then leave to marinate for 20-30 minutes. Drain into a colander and discard the liquid.

Meanwhile, for the herb dressing, roughly chop 5g basil leaves, 5g mint leaves and 1/2 green chilli, and put them in a small bowl with 3 tbsp olive oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper

Using a small, sharp knife, top and tail another lime, then cut around its natural curves to remove the skin and pith. Cut between the membranes to release the individual segments, then cut each segment into four or five pieces, add to the herb bowl and mix well.

Arrange the drained mangoes and tomatoes on a medium platter  then spoon over the remaining mango dressing. Dollop the herb dressing on top and scatter over 1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds. Serve with 1/2 tsp nigella seeds sprinkled on top.

(Here Ottolenghi's original recipe, and more)

24 July 2023

Octopus, chorizo and pickled purple carrots


Peel 2 purple carrots and cut diagonally into thin slices. Place in a pan with water and salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 7–8 minutes until just tender then drain

Place 100 ml malt vinegar, 100 ml water, 75g caster sugar, 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds , 1/2 tsp black peppercorns and 1 garlic clove  in another pan and bring to the boil, cooking until the sugar has dissolved


Place the carrots into a clasp-top jar and pour over the pickle. Seal and leave to pickle in the fridge for at least 48 hours

Let 4 (store bought) cooked octopus tentacles fully defrost in the fridge

To make the carrot purée, peel 2 orange carrots and slice thinly on a mandoline. Heat a saucepan with a tight fitting lid over a high heat and add the carrots with a little water and salt

Steam until tender, being careful not to let the pan catch. Transfer to a blender, blitz with 12 ml olive oil until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve. Transfer to a squeezy bottle or piping bag and set aside

Use a paper towel to remove the outer skin of the octopus, leaving the suckers intact, slice in diagonal bites 

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add 25g diced chorizo
Cook until the oil starts to seep out of the chorizo, then add the octopus pieces and fry until crisp and golden on both sides

To plate, arrange the octopus around the plate and pipe dots of the carrot purée.

Add the pickled purple carrot slices, chorizo dice, scatter over some toasted almond flakes and garnish with a few rocket leaves. 

Drizzle over the remaining chorizo oil from the pan (which I forgot)


22 July 2023

Ratatouille on merguez


Of course everybody says that opening a can is cheating, but why make your own
ratatouille when Bonduelle sells a great one?

Then slice 3 merguez sausages lengthwise open and fry the minced meat for about 3 mins.

Drain and use a serving ring to make this great tasting starter on a day you don't have a lot of time. Finish with cherry tomatoes and cress





(Here Onno Kleyns original recipe, incl homemade ratatouille)

Salmon ceviche, passion fruit & lemon


Slice 250g salmon very thinly

Make a marinade from 2 passion fruits, 1 tbsp extra virgine olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper

Start plating with the salmon. Cover with the marinade and finish with cress and lime zest

Feeds 2

18 July 2023

Grilled octopus with fennel, caramelised lemon and salsa cruda


Steam or simmer 4 octopus tentacles for 45-60 minutes, until very tender, then set aside
 

Preheat an oven to 170°C

Quartered and root trim a fennel and blanche for 3 mins in boiling water. Pat dry and put them on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over 1 tsp fennel seeds. Pour over 50ml of vinegar, season with salt and pepper then cook in the oven until tender and just starting to crisp at the ends (around 30-45 minutes)

Place a griddle pan over a medium-high heat (or light a barbecue and wait for the coals to begin glowing)

Make the salsa cruda by combining a banana shallot, finely chopped, a heaped tbsp finely chopped parsley,  a heaped tbsp finely chopped dill, 25 ml extra virgin olive oil and 15 ml vinegar. Season to taste and set aside

Place 2 lemon circles on the griddle pan or barbecue and cook for a few minutes on each side, until charred and softened. Set aside

Rub the tentacles with olive oil and season, then place on the griddle or barbecue and cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly charred and crisp

To serve, place a lemon wedge, a fennel quarter and 2 octopus tentacles on each plate. 

Finish with the salsa cruda


(Here Ben Tish's original recipe)

17 July 2023

Sea bass ceviche with Campari


Whisk 3 tbsp
extra virgine oil with 1 tbsp Campari, the zest and 3 tbsp juice from an orange, 1 tbsp Chardonnay vinegar and 1 tsp caster sugar.

Use a sharp knife to cut 175g sea bass in thin slices

Slice 2 radishes very thinly

Start plating with the fish, then the radish, the vinaigrette and finally some watercress leaves and grated bottarga (which I did not have, so I used  salmon roe)

(Here Giovanni Pillu's original recipe in Dutch)

16 July 2023

Weever and cockles with green curry


Bring 1 l water to the boil with 60g salt, then cool for at least 2 hrs.

Then add 2 filets of weever (Pieterman, vive) to pickle for 10 mins. 

Take out and dab dry.

Remove the outer leave from a leek, the finely hack the rest, add a minced clove of garlic, season with thyme, salt and pepper and softly fry in olive oil

Warm in another pan some olive oil, with reserved leek leave, a minced clove of garlic and some thyme. Add a glass of white wine and 500g cockles. Boil till the shells are open. Drain en keep the cooking liquid

Take the cockles from the shells

Bring the cooking liquid to the boil and reduce 50%, add 1 tsp green curry paste and 20cl double cream. Once the sauce is warm again add the juice from 1/2 lime, salt and pepper

Put 3 tbsp flour in a plastic bag, put a 160g filet of weever in the bag and shake well. Repeat with a second filet.

Pan fry the fish, skin side down, in olive oil with a tbsp butter and 1/2 tbsp thyme. Once the skin is nice and golden turn the filets and fry for another minute.

Remove the fish and warm 100g samphire in the same oil, after a minute add the cockles to warm them

Foam the sauce with a stick blender (which I forgot)

Start plating with the fondue of leek, followed with the samphire and cockles

Put the fish on top and finish with the foamy sauce

(Here Miryam Minne's original recipe in Flemish) 

Tuna tataki, crispy veggies


Whisk 6g olive oil with 2g sesame oil, 10g soy sauce, 10g hoisin sauce, 3g mirin and 1/4 tbsp apple syrup

Add 1/2 minced clove of garlic, 1/4 tbsp grated ginger, 1/8 hacked red chili and the zest of 1/4 lime

Brush a 200g piece of sashimi tuna with 1/3 of this marinade

Briefly toast 10g white and 10g black sesame seeds in a dry pan, then cool on a plate

Add a tbsp olive oil to the hot pan,  flash fry all sides of the tuna, roll the tuna trough the sesame seeds and cut in 6 even slices

Slice 6 snow peas lengthwise, do the same with 2 green asparagus, then cut them diagonally in 3 parts

Snip the brown tops and bottoms from 30g beansprouts 

Bring water to the boil, add the peas, the asparagus and the taugé, take them out after 45 sec and cool in ice water, add salt to the water and keep it warm

Peel a small carrot and use the mandoline to slice into thin strips

Clean a spring onion and cut diagonally in 3 pieces  

Bring the warm water to the boil again to blanche the spring onion and 1/2 of the carrot for 30 sec, cool in ice water

Use a gas burner to burn 1/4 sweet pointed pepper, remove the burned skin under a running tap and slice into thin strips

Mix all veggies in a bowl, then season with olive oil, sesame oil, sushi vinegar, chardonnay vinegar, pepper and salt

Blend 10g coriander, 5g parsley and 10g grape seed oil, then mix with 2 tbsp mayo and transfer to a piping bag

Add 2 tbsp sushi vinegar and some lime juice to the marinade to make a sauce

Start plating with the vegetables, then the tuna. Season the tuna with sea salt

Finish with dots of the coriander mayo, some sauce and cress (which I forgot)

(Here Miryam Minne's original recipe in Flemish)



Pumpkin stuffed pani puri


Mince 1/4 onion and 1/2 clove of garlic and hack 90g pumpkin. Bring some water to the boil, add the vegetables, with a pinch of cumin seeds, a pinch of curcuma, 1/2 finely sliced red chili and some salt.

Once boiled blend into a purée, taste and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cool and transfer into a piping bag.

Toast 1/2 tsp caraway seeds first and then 25g hacked almonds in a dry pan

Make a chutney from 1 tbsp hacked coriander, 1 tsp hacked mint, the juice of 1/4 lemon, some olive oil, salt and pepper

Deep fry 2 pani puri in 170°C arachide oil, for about 20 sec, turn all the time.

Make a hole in the pani puri and stuff halfway with the pumpkin, then some caraway and almonds and finally a teaspoon of the chutney

(Here a video with Ramon making this recipe in Dutch)

Chilled melon and olive oil soup with 'nduja toast and oregano


Begin by making the oregano oil, ideally the day before. Set a few of the oregano leaves aside for garnishing the soup and toasts, then blitz 150 ml
olive oil, the leaves of 20g oregano and the zest of 1/2 lemon together in a blender. 

Allow the mixture to infuse overnight, or leave it to infuse for as long as you can on the day. Strain the oil through a muslin cloth set over a bowl to get a clear oregano oil. This will make more than you need for this recipe but it will keep in the fridge for several weeks 

To make the soup, remove any seeds or peel from 500g cantaloupe or honeymoon melon, then place in a blender with the 1/4 chopped red chili, 20ml chardonnay vinegar, 20 ml olive oil, 50g ice cubes and a pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve and chill in the fridge until ready to serve

Use a melon baller to scoop out 10 small balls from another melon

For the toasts, place a griddle pan over a high heat. Drizzle  slices of
sourdough bread with olive oil and toast the bread on both sides until crisp and lightly charred. Whilst the bread is still, hot, spread ‘nduja over them and garnish with a few oregano leaves

To serve, divide the soup between 2 bowls and finish with a drizzle of the oregano oil and a few oregano leaves. Serve alongside the ‘nduja toasts

Serves 2

(Here Steven Groves' original recipe)

15 July 2023

Seabass, oven dried cherry tomatoes, pancetta vinaigrette


Pre-heat the oven at 125°C

Put 6 halved cherry tomatoes in an oven dish, sprinkle with lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper and dry in the hot oven during 2 hours

Cut 15g pancetta in 5x5 mm cubes and finely slice a shallot, softly fry them in 2 tbsp olive oil for 5 min, then cool

Cut 2 cherry tomatoes in small cubes, mix with 2 tbsp Chardonnay vinegar and add to the pancetta/shallot vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper

Remove the skin from a sea bass fillet and make thin slices

Serve as shown with the fish slightly overlapping the dried tomatoes, cut a taggiasche olive and put pieces on top of the fish

Put the vinaigrette in the middle and finish with some hacked parsley

(Here Mr Kitchen's original recipe in Dutch)

Feeds 2

14 July 2023

Courgette carpaccio

Use the mandoline to make lengthwise thin slices of a young 
courgette

Whisk 35 ml extra virgine olive oil with 1 tsp lemon zest plus 2 tsp juice and season with salt and black pepper

Start plating with the courgette slices, simple or more creative, cover them with rucola leaves and grated Parmesan and finish with the dressing and more black pepper



(Here Valli Little's recipe in Dutch)

12 July 2023

Cauliflower puree with chorizo and a poached egg


Cut 35g chorizo in small cubes, bring 100 ml double cream to the boil, add the chorizo, boil for a minute. Let the sausage infuse the cream for 30 min, under a lid

Cut the florets from 1/4 cauliflower and boil in salted water for 15 mins.

Drain the cauliflower, drain the cream and put in the blender to make the puree.

Roughly hack 1 heaped tablespoon of hazelnuts, do the same with pistachios and roast them briefly in a dry pan

Diagonally slice a spring onion

Cut another 50g chorizo into small cubes, softly fry them in a dry pan to get out the fat

Poach 2 eggs

Start plating with the cauliflower puree, put the poached eggs on top. 

Sprinkle the nuts and onion over it, season with pepper and salt and finish with the red chorizo-oil

(here Myriam Minne's original recipe in Flemish)


8 July 2023

Aubergine with herb cream on sourdough


Cut a large aubergine (about 250g) into 2cm cubes, tip into a colander placed over a bowl and scatter with a little salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. This will help the aubergine flesh to relax and take up less oil.

In a large, preferably nonstick sauté pan, warm 100ml of olive oil, then add the aubergine. Peel 2 cloves of garlic, then slice them thinly and add them to pan. Let the aubergine cook with the oil and garlic for about 10 minutes, partially covered by a lid, turning the pieces over from time to time so they colour evenly. Roughly chop 10 basil leaves and about 15 of parsley. Add them to the aubergine and set aside.

Make the herb paste: mix together 2 tbsp of mayonnaise with 75ml of sour cream. Stir in 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard, 1 tsp of capers, 10 parsley leaves, a dash of white wine vinegar or tarragon vinegar and a little salt and black pepper. Taste and sharpen the flavour with more vinegar if you wish. Butter 2 slices of a sourdough loaf, panfry them and then spread with the herb cream. Pile the aubergine on top and serve. 

Feeds 2.

(Here Nigel Slater's original recipe)

5 July 2023

Baked feta and dill frittata


Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Break 4 eggs into a medium bowl, add a half-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, whisk well and set aside.

Use a ruler to measure the thickness of a 100g block of feta – if it’s thicker than 1½cm, carefully trim it down to this thickness and crumble any offcuts into the egg mixture. Keep the rest of the feta block whole.

Place a small (roughly 17cm-wide), nonstick, ovenproof saute pan on a medium-high heat and add 30 ml oil. Once it’s hot, add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, cook for a minute until fragrant, then add 90g finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for three minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in 120g baby spinach and 20g finely chopped dill, and cook for two minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the dill is fragrant.

Pour the beaten egg into the pan and stir to combine with the onion, spinach and herbs. 

Nestle the feta in the centre of the egg mixture, so it’s three-quarters submerged, then drizzle a teaspoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds over the top. 

Transfer the pan to the oven, bake for 15 minutes, then remove and turn the oven grill to its highest setting. 

Once the grill is hot, pop the pan on the top shelf of the oven closest to the grill and cook for two minutes until the frittata is golden brown and the top of the feta slightly coloured.




Using a spatula, release the frittata from the bottom of the pan, then carefully slide it on to a serving plate. 

Sprinkle over a tbsp chopped dill and a pinch of aleppo chilli, and serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges on the side. 

Serves 3-4


(Here Ottolenghi's original recipe)



4 July 2023

Crispy stuffed courgette flowers


Remove the stalks inside courgette flowers because they are bitter, at the same time look for insects

Grate 40g Parmesan and mix with 125g ricotta. Add the zest of a lemon.

Hack 4 anchovies and stir into the cheese.

Taste and season with pepper.

Spoon into a piping bag.

Fill the flowers, but make sure there is enough room on top to twist them shut

Mix 125g flour (preferably Japanese tempura flour) with about 130 ml ice-cold sparkling water and some salt.

Pour 1 cm arachide oil in a frying pan, bring to to 180°C, dip the flowers in the batter and then fry on one side till nicely coloured and crispy, then the other side.

For 6-8 flowers

3 July 2023

Crispy gamba's, Asian salade and a sesame vinaigrette


Start with the dressing: mix 
2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sushi vinegar and some grated ginger and garlic

Beat a lemon grass with the back of a knife, then cut into small pieces and add to the vinaigrette, with 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/2 tbsp chili sauce, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, the juice of 1/4 lime and 1 tbsp sunflower oil

Toast 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds in a dry pan

Clean 4 gamba's, remove the intestinal tract and pickle them in 50gr sea salt for 4 mins

Rinse, dry and leave in the fridge for 2 hrs to become glassy

Then dust with curry powder and pepper

Remove the seeds of 1/2 red chili and cut into a brunoise, briefly boil the red pepper in boiling water

Slice 1/2 shallot into a brunoise

Warm 1 tbsp agave syrup, then add the red chili and the shallot to become glassy

Add a dash of sake, 1/2 tbsp sushi vinegar, 1/2 tbsp Mirin and 1/2 tbsp vinegar, boil for a couple of seconds and cool in the fridge

Peel 50g cucumber, remove the seeds and slice into matchsticks

Do the same with 50g carrot, the wine of a paksoy leaf and 50g leek

Remove both ends of 50g beansprouts

Mix all veggies with with 1 tbsp sushi vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil and a few drops of lime juice

Bring a pan with sunflower oil to 190°C

Beat an egg, crush 50 g Panko

Pass the gamba's trough the beaten egg, then through the Panko. Repeat this.

Deep fry the gamba's till golden brown

Start plating with the mixed veggies, then put the gamba's on top

Cover the gamba's with the shallot compote, then drizzle the dressing over it

Finish with some coriander leaves and the sesame seeds

(Here Myriam Minne's original recipe in Flemish)



2 July 2023

Teriyaki salmon, misomayo, asparagus


Pre-heat the oven at 140°C. Slice the skin from 200g salmon, halve, brush with arachide oil and season with pepper and salt. 

Put on greaseproof paper on a baking tray, cover with an other sheet of paper and press down with a second tray.

Bake for 15-20 mins, cut the crispy skin into strips, to be used as decoration on the dish. 

Then set the oven on 150°C.

Slice a green asparagus very thinly with the mandoline.

Soak a tbsp seaweed in cold water for 20 mins, drain and season with pepper.

Mix 1/3 tbsp white miso with 2/3 tbsp water, then mix with 2 tbsp mayo, season with lime juice and -zest.

Brush the salmon with arachide oil, season with salt and pepper and briefly grill in a hot griddle pan

Cover the salmon with teriyaki sauce (from a jar) and transfer to the oven for 2 mins.

In the meantime spoon the miso mayo on 2 plates, then the warm salmon.

Put a tbsp salmon eggs on the salmon, followed by the sliced asparagus

Finish with  the sea weed, the salmon skin and some wasabi furikake

(Here Myriam Minne's original recipe in Flemish)

Hasselback tomato tonnato with anchovy and herb crumbs


This is a fun riff on a modern classic. The tuna sauce is traditionally served with sliced veal, but works very well with the salinity and fragrance of fresh tomatoes. 

The tomatoes are cut ‘hasselback’ and stuffed with a herb and anchovy breadcrumb mixture - you could also chop through some wild garlic if it’s in season. Serve this with some crusty bread, or as part of a larger spread. 

 Preheat oven 200ºC/180ºC fan


Make the crumb by whizzing 40g breadcrumbs, 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped 

1/2 handful each basil, chives and parsley leaves, 1 clove garlic and the zest of 1/2 lemon in a small blender and seasoning with salt and pepper


Make cuts in 2 San Marzano tomatoes at 1/2 cm intervals, but don’t cut all the way through (placing a tomato between 2 flat chopsticks helps)


Place the tomatoes into a roasting dish and stuff them with the crumb. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and the crumb is turning golden


Once the tomatoes are cooked, set aside to cool a little while you make the sauce


Make the tonnato sauce by combining 1/2 tin tuna in oil, drained (60g drained weight), 1 anchovy fillet, 2 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard  and the juice of 1/4 lemon in a small blender. Whizz to a paste, then stream in 75ml light olive oil slowly until you have a smooth sauce. 


Season with salt and black pepper


To serve, spread the tonnato sauce onto a plate and top with the tomatoes. Dot around 1/2 tbsp capers and drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve


Serves 2


(Recipe by Great British Chefs Kitchen)