Kitchen Garden Recipe

‘Nothing says summer better than ripe, sweet tomatoes.  When tomatoes are home  grown and in peak season a simple recipe is best to showcase their flavour.  This dish is great as an entrée or a light lunch on a hot day.  Using different varieties of tomato adds to the presentation of the dish and the radicchio, beans and citrus zest provide a great counter point to the tomato bringing a bitter edge to the tart.  The bees at Heide produce amazing honey so I include this is dishes where ever possible.’

Rick, Head Chef Café Vue at Heide

 

Bittersweet Tomato Tart

Serves 2

 

Ingredients

14 x multi variety cherry tomatoes (such as green zebra, yellow pear, tigerella – what ever you can find!)

2 tblsp honey

2 tspn lemon/orange rind, finely chopped rosemary

Olive oil and salt and pepper

Shortcrust or puff pastry

10 x runner beans

4 x radicchio leaves

200ml chicken stock 

1 x whole lemon, juice and rind

2 tspn dijon mustard

Vegetable oil (enough to thicken the emulsion)

Goats curd or crème fraiche to serve

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius  

Place tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle the rosemary and zest

Add olive to lightly coat and season with pepper and salt

Heat the honey so that it will mix easier with other ingredients, add to the tomatoes and mix all ingredients well

Line two small tart moulds with pastry and place tomatoes in it alternating the colours and varieties

Place in the oven for around 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and cooked

Mean while break up the radicchio leaves and slice runner beans into bit size pieces

Place in a mixing bowl

Combine lemon juice and mustard in a bowl with the chicken stock.  Slowly add vegetable oil whilst whisking until the liquid thickens (like a thin mayonnaise)

Place the tart on a plate with the salad on the side and drizzle liberally with the lemon emulsion

 

Serve warm with a nice tart goats curd or creme friache.

 

'When it comes to growing your own vegetable garden, tomatoes really top it. There’s nothing like the taste, smell or the convenience of picking a home grown tomato. They are also rich in nutrition and antioxidants.

Animal manure and compost are perfect for tomatoes in the early stages of growth and keeping them moist is essential in this period. Once matured the watering can ease off as to much water will weaken the flavour of the fruit. And when the tomatoes start flowering it wouldn’t hurt to fertilize them with seaweed solution once a month.

In the cooler conditions fungal diseases may occur so avoid wetting the foliage when watering to help prevent this from happening. If this does occur prune off the affected leaves and thin out some more leaves for aeration. Also potash is essential to prevent ‘blossom end rot’. Happy growing.'

Emily, Heide gardener