TOMATO TIME

TWO TOMATO RECIPES FOR FRIENDS. TOMATO TONNATO AND TOMATO, FENNEL SEED BUTTERED SPAGHETTI

One of my strongest summer memories is of eating a fat ripe tomato on a rock by the sea in Mallorca. I ate it as you might an apple, chomping one hungry caterpillar bite from its juicy red flesh and turning it in my hand as the juice drizzled down to my elbow. I savoured it, drinking in all its sweet vinegary acidity warmed by the sun. Then I jumped into the sea.

I still think about that tomato and about how perfect it was. Simple, naked and ripe for eating. I play that scene over and over in my head, like you might replay a really good song on loop until you know it word for word. It was a good tomato.

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Some notes on good tomatoes

Who grows the best tomatoes … can cause a bit of a debate. I have no real loyalty to a specific country or region and have eaten very good tomatoes in France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Britain too. But as a general rule, tomatoes love sun so its really only now that British ones are good enough to join the ranks of their European neighbours.

There are a few UK growers who grow really good tomatoes … and there is always a collective hurrah when the Isle of White tomatoes come in. Nutbourne, a tomato supplier in West Sussex is also very good. Their ‘Green Grape’ tomato is particularly delicious and is a cherry tomato variety that remain green even when ripe. It has a sweeter less acidic taste to its rosy sister which I think goes very well with creamy mozzarella or burrata (as all tomatoes too) but with the key addition of lots of fresh lemon zest.

You should keep tomatoes … out of the fridge or if you must refrigerate them for longevity take them out of the fridge at least a few hours before you intend on eating them. I try and keep them in a cool spot in the flat and then move them somewhere sunny the day we eat them.

A tomato … you might deem as too soft is probably just ripe, and similar to avocados they are usually at their best just before they hit their worst. But any split or slightly fermented tomatoes make great sauce just throw them in the oven with some olive oil and salt.

Tomatoes are sweet already so are best paired with something fatty or acidic or both. I love a splash of sherry or red wine vinegar with my tomatoes (along with olive oil and salt). Burrata, mozzarella, ricotta are all natural pairings too.

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THE RECIPES

TOMATO TONNATO

Vitello Tonnato is a Northern Italian dish made with cold sliced veal and a creamy tuna infused emulsified sauce. I’ll admit that the veal part has never really appealed to me but I’ve always enjoyed the punchy sauce and often swiped spoonfuls from my fellow diners plates to spoon over bread or vegetables. I had the idea to do a tomato tonnato around November last year when of course the tomatoes in England are not very good, so it’s been over a six month wait to make this but I can confirm it was worth it.

serves 4

• 800g large ripe tomatoes

• 90g tuna in olive oil, drained weight

• 4 hard-boiled egg yolks