A tangy treat inspired by one of the Isle of Wight’s finest exports – tomatoes

Tomato compote

The Isle of Wight is only a short distance away from us all, but getting on to the ferry with the terriers last week felt like a mini adventure.

We caught up with some friends for a hilly walk intended to wear out the dogs so we could all have a peaceful lunch. The pub, where we ate, had a large map of the island pinpointing where it gets a lot of its ingredients from. The island has become quite famous for some great ingredients such as garlic and cheese but most people know the incredible variety of tomatoes grown on the island by the Tomato Stall. This compote will be fantastic with beef on the barbecue or in cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients

500g plum vine tomatoes

1 onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped Small bunch thyme tied with string 2 bay leaves

8 white peppercorns

125ml white wine

150 ml white wine vinegar

150g sugar

Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Method

1. Make a small cross with a knife on each tomato. Plunge them into boiling water for 12 seconds and then plunge them into iced water. This will enable you to easily remove the skins.

2. Chop the tomatoes and put into a large sauce pan.

3. Add all the other ingredients and gently cook for 30 to 50 minutes, reducing the liquid until it becomes thick and slightly sticky.

4. Taste and adjust the seasoning before putting into sterilised Kilner jars. Seal and once cool store in the fridge until you are ready to use. Unopened they will keep for four months.

Lawrence’s restaurant is Fat Olives, Emsworth. Visit fatolives.co.uk