Fresh green tiger tomato & plum appetizer

We’re going to make a beautiful tomato & plum appetizer! Right now it’s summer at its best, so these recipes are gold! We’re going to make a tomato & fig leaf broth with burrata, marinaded vegetables and a delicious plum & spices gel.

The tomato broth

800 grams	overripe tomatoes
1	shallot
50 grams	sushi vinegar
100 grams	ginger syrup
5 grams	salt
3	star anise
5	black pepper corns
2 sprigs	basil
	Xanthan gum powder

First take the overripe tomatoes. Overripe tomatoes are always very delicious and sweet. Then cut them in four and transfer them into a blender. Now cut the shallot in half and clean it. Add it to the blender as well together with the sushi vinegar, the ginger syrup, the salt, the star anise, the black pepper corns and the basil. Now blend it till smooth. This takes at least 2 minutes because of the spices. Then pour the tomato on a sieve that’s lined with a rinsed clean kitchen towel or napkin and let it drain in your fridge for a couple of hours. I always leave it overnight. After that pour the broth into a pan and reduce it till you’re left with 200 grams of liquid. Now to intensify the flavor I always bind a broth with a knife tip of Xanthan gum. Really mix it well to insure all the Xanthan gum has dissolved. You’ll end up with a beautiful clear and intense broth. Then pour it into a piping bottle and keep it in your fridge for later.

The fig leaf oil

30 grams	fig leaves
150 grams	neutral oil (I use sunflower oil)

Transfer the fig leaves into a blender and also add the neutral oil. Then blend it till the temperature of the oil is 65 degrees Celsius. It will heat up from the friction. Once that’s done pour the oil on a super fine sieve or a sieve that’s lined with a kitchen paper and let it drain for a couple of hours. I always do this in my fridge, so the oil doesn’t color from the heat.

The plum and green tomato gel

400 grams	plums
320 grams	green tiger tomatoes
70 grams	Pedro Ximenez sherry
3	star anise
1	cinnamon stick
	Agar powder

Take around the plums and cut them in half to remove the pit. In total you’ll need 330 grams of cleaned plums. Transfer them into a pan. Now cut the green tiger tomatoes in four and add them to the pan as well together with the Pedro Ximenez sherry, the star anise and the cinnamon stick. Now cover the pan, bring it to a boil and let it simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes. The plums and tomatoes need to turn into a soft compote. Once that’s happened remove the cinnamon and star anise and blend it till smooth. Then pass the puree through a fine sieve and use a ladle to be sure you don’t waste anything. Now measure the weight into a clean pan and add a gram of agar powder for every 100 grams of puree. I added 4 grams of agar powder for 400 grams of puree. Mix it well and then bring it to a boil while stirring for at least 30 seconds. Then pour it into a bowl and let it cool down in your fridge. When it’s cold transfer it into a blender and blend it into a smooth gel. Then let it set in your fridge for at least an hour before it’s ready to be used.

The marinade

300 grams	water
10 grams	sugar
3 grams	salt
30 grams	ginger
30 grams	galangal
1	lemongrass
3	lime leaves
200 grams	fresh apple juice (like granny smith juice)

Pour the water into a pan and also add the sugar and the salt. Then cut the ginger in thin slices and do the same with the galangal and the lemongrass. Also add the lime leaves and then reduce it on a low heat till almost all the water has evaporated. Then turn off the heat and add the fresh apple juice. Mix this well and then let it marinade in your fridge for a couple of hours. After that drain the juice and keep it in your fridge for later.

The final prep

1	cucumber
2	green tiger tomatoes
	plums

First cut both ends of a cucumber and slice it in half. Then slice it in thin slices on a mandolin or slice it in thin slices with a sharp knife. Now cut two green tiger tomatoes in half and slice it in thin slices as well. Then remove the pits from some plums and slice those as well. It all needs to be very thin and the same thickness for the best result. The directly brush the plums with the marinade to prevent them from chancing color. Keep them in your fridge for later.

How to finish the dish

Place the three different slices overlapping on the outside of a round cutter and make sure it’s super tight! Then brush some marinade on top. You can also do this during prep, but then brush the marinade on just before serving it. Now gently place it in a bowl or on a plate and remove the round cutter. Fill the bottom with the gel. Then take a piece of burrata cheese and open it up. Put a tablespoon on top of the gel and season it with flaky salt and black pepper. Now pipe some gel on top of the slices and decorate the plate with corn flowers. I use white ones and blue ones. As a final step mix two third of the cold tomato broth with one third of the fig leaf oil and gently mix it before using it. Then serve the plate and finish the dish with the delicious broth and oil.