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With its significant burst of umami, tomato has been one of my long time favourites, yet confusing ingredients. To be botanically correct, it is a berry, therefore a fruit but it is used as a vegetable. Well, cucumber, green beans, eggplant, zucchini are in the same category but the tomato has a special history.

Native from south America and brought back by the Spanish in the 16th century, it remained an ornamental plant for over 100 years. The tomato was poisonous! At least it is what people thought, mainly due to the interaction of the acidic juice on the pewter plates in use back then. Imagine today Italian or Spanish cuisine without tomato!

Today we have over 10000 different type of tomatoes, all edible.

If you are ever in Būnol in Spain at the end of August, there is a festival called “la tomatina”. The idea is simple: through ripe tomatoes at each other. The city council even publish a short list of instruction like: “Do not throw anything but tomatoes”, “Squash tomatoes before throwing them to avoid hurting others or “Only throw tomatoes to a target you can see, to avoid hurting others”. So if this recipe failed, you still have an option.

~ E.S ~

RECIPE

TOMATO AVOCADO

amela tomato, hass avocado, szechuan pepper

(SERVES – 2 PERSONS)

AVOCADO

Avocado-150g, peeled

Basil Oil-20ml

Lime Juice-8ml

Salt-1g

METHOD

Combine ingredients above and blend in food processor till smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Store in a squeeze bottle. the ingredients above. Set Aside.

TOMATO:

Tomato-2 Peeled

Mixed cress/flower Washed

Lily bulb-1 Thinly Sliced

METHOD

Prepare the ingredients above. Set Aside.

SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN OIL:

Grapeseed oil-100ml, peeled, grated

Szechuan peppercorn-15g, peeled, grated

Fresh ginger-15g

Garlic clove-6

Black sesame seed-20g

Sugar-15g

Salt-5g

Light soy sauce-20g

Rice vinegar-15ml

METHOD:

Combine all remaining ingredients in a small metal bowl.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a pot and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and pour oil over the ingredients. Allow to infuse for 3 minutes. Strain and reserve the infused oil.

ASSEMBLY:

Set the tomato in the dish.

Garnish with avocado cream, cress and lily bulb.

Finish with Szechuan peppercorn oil.