Ordinary, tomato salad? It can become exquisite if you twist it a little. Manual.
The choice
We play on old, tastier varieties: pineapple (yellow), Bernese rose, Crimean black. We consume them within two days and refrigerator prohibited!
Salt
This is THE secret: sprinkle the cut tomatoes with two pinches of fine salt. Wait 10 minutes before adding the vinaigrette. When serving, top with Guérande fleur de sel or Maldon salt, very crunchy.
Oil
Olive, of course! Our favorites: Kalios, Greek oils adopted by Christophe Aribert, Yann Tanneau and Eric Guérin (on sale on www.bienmanger.com)
Vinegar or not vinegar?
Sherry is not very risky. But we can also try this way…
Tone on tone : a squirt of Mutti tomato vinegar. Chic: white balsamic. Osée: half balsamic and half tarragon wine vinegar.
Full dish version
Florentine panzanella style: add capers, black olives, oregano, red onion, diced stale bread with tomatoes, and leave to marinate for 24 hours.
Lebanese fattouche style: add cucumber, spring onions, garlic, mint, sumac and pieces of tomato pita.
Starry version
Like at the late Ni Neu in San Sebastian. Collect the juice of 3 tomatoes cut into pieces. Add 3 pinches of salt and 2 of sugar, 1 tbsp. of pesto, let cool. Put 1 sheet of gelatin soaked in cold water and drained. Pour this jelly into four deep plates, let set and sprinkle with cherry tomatoes, melon balls, watermelon and cucumber.
As at Kei* in Paris, they are seasoned gazpacho style. Marinate the tomatoes for 10 minutes with fleur de sel, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Collect the juice and emulsify with beef heart tomato puree + sherry + olive oil. * www.restaurant-kei.fr
