Chef Chris’s latest delight
Summer has arrived, unfortunately the weather hasn’t but this summer flavoursome salad is light, tasty and simple.
This week we’re using first summer season heirloom tomatoes. These work with goats cheese which is very creamy.
Combined with fresh parsley oil and sharpness of the balsamic and capers bring this whole dish together for a summer tastebud explosion.
Preparation time is 30 minutes, cooking time is eight to 10 minutes and it serves four.
For the heirloom tomatoes: Selection of heirloom tomatoes ( six types) available in local family- run suppliers Grants of Prestwick, Prestwick Main Street.
For goats cheese: 250g cheese; 50ml whipped cream; 50ml crème fraiche; 25g honey; one vanilla pod.
For parsley oil: Quarter cup lemon juice; seven tbs granulated sugar; 200g parsley, torn into small pieces; 200ml olive oil; sea salt.
For cucumber: Four cucumbers peeled; two limes, zest and juice.
For crouton: Four slices stale
Chris Steele, our Ayrshire Life chef runs The Stage Door Restaurant and Hollybush House restaurant.
Each week Chris will be sharing one of his favourite dishes from his collection for you to make at home.
This week he prepares heirloom tomato carpaccio with whipped goats cheese, peppered crouton, parsley oil, lime infused cucumber, peashoot salad, capers and aged fig balsamic reduction
bread; oil, salt and pepper.
For the fig balsamic: Eight figs, pulp scooped out; 100ml balsamic vinegar ( good quality); 50g sugar; one vanilla pod.
For the Parmesan and pepper wedges: 10 Maris Piper potatoes; 25g cracked pepper; salt and pepper; olive oil. Pre- heat oven to 170C For the wedges: Cut the potatoes into wedges and leave skin on, boil for three to five minutes until small bite left in potatoes, drain and place on a non- stick tray, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and roast in oven for 10- 12mins till crunchy and golden brown
Fig balsamic: Place all ingredients into a small sauce pan and simmer for 15- 20 mins, chill and should become thick, sticky and concentrated.
Crouton: Slice stale bread to size, drizzle with oil and season. Place in oven 3/ 4mins until golden brown.
For goat’s cheese: Place all ingredients in food processor and blitz.
For cucumber: Place in a sealed bag or container with all ingredients. Chill for 24 hours until ready to serve.
For parsley oil: Place all ingredients in jug and blitz with hand blender until smooth.
What’s all the fuss about heirloom tomatoes?
An heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it’s valued characteristics.
The term heirloom applied to plants was apparently first used by Kent Whealy of Seed Savers Exchange, who first used heirloom in relation to plants in a speech he gave in Tucson in 1981.
In the past 40 years, the UK has lost many of its heirloom varieties, along with the many smaller family farms that supported heirlooms.
The multitude of heirlooms that had adapted to survive well for hundreds of years were lost or replaced by fewer hybrid tomatoes, bred for their commercially attractive characteristics.
In the process the UK has also lost much of the ownership of foods typically grown by family gardeners and small farms.
Every heirloom variety is genetically unique and inherent in this uniqueness is an evolved resistance to pests and diseases and an adaptation to specific growing conditions and climates.
There are four categories of heirloom tomato available to buy right here in Ayrshire from Grants in Prestwick.
Try Chris Steele’s recipe for yourself and experience the taste at home.