Dominique Crenn – Tomato & Basil 3.0 Recipe
August 14, 2022
The chef Dominique Crenn Tomatoes Enhanced dish features an unusual method of preparation in which she first blanches and peels the tomatoes, drying both the tomato’s flesh and peel in separately.
Then, she grinds the tomato peels to create an incredibly flavorful tomato powder to decorate the “petals” of the dehydrated tomatoes. Learn how to prepare this exquisite dish, or employ the oven-drying technique of the chef to keep tomatoes in your kitchen at all times.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds of Early Girl tomatoes (or similar-sized tomatoes)
- 1 shallot peeled and cut
- 1 garlic clove peeled and cut into slices
- 2 Thyme Sprigs
- Extra-virgin olive oil from the olive tree, to taste
- Fleur de sel or kosher salt to taste
- The freshest herbs, edible flower arrangements and the like (Chef Crenn cooks with the basil leaves, Opal and Genovese basil leaves, as well as marigold flowers)
Instructions:
Step 1: Make sure to bring 4 quarts of water boiling in a large, heavy pot that is set on a high flame.
Step 2: If you’re using an oven prepare it at 200 degrees F (or switch on to “warm” settings). If you are using a dehydrator, set it at 130°F.
Step 3: While you’re at it, take the paring knife to cut an X-shaped cut, about 1 inch long, on the top inside each tomato.
Step 4: Once you have scored the tomatoes, cook them in an Ice tub in a large pot, leaving a few inches of space for the tomatoes to be displaced.
Step 5: Utilize a slotted spoon to add 3-4 of the tomatoes a single time into the boiling water, allowing them to remain submerged by the spoon until the skins begin to split from the flesh around the point of the incision, which is about 15 minutes.
Step 6: Utilize a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to take the tomatoes from boiling water. Transfer them right away into the cold ice bath. Make sure they remain submerged in the bath until sufficiently cool to be handled, approximately 1 minute. After one minute take the tomatoes that have been blanched onto a towel paper or clean the kitchen towel in order to eliminate all the water.
Step 7: While working above a medium bowl collect all juices. Carefully cut each tomato in pieces from the point of incision to the stem. Keep the individual peels as much as you can, and then set them aside on an uncluttered surface. Be careful not to squeeze the tomato juice from the flesh. Place the entire tomato that has been peeled on a clean cutting board.
Step 8: Utilizing the board for cutting, cut the entire tomato into quarters. Remove the seeds as well as the interiors using your paring knife.
Step 9: Line two baking sheets that have raised sides using parchment.
Step 10: On a baking sheet place the tomato skins to ensure they don’t overlap.
Step 11: On the other side, place the cleaned tomatoes in one layer.
Step 12: Add half the garlic, shallot and thyme into each tray. Then, drizzle each tray with olive oil, and then sprinkle with fleur de sel or kosher salt.
Step 13: Transfer both trays into the oven that is warm or to the dehydrator when the peels appear firm to the touch, the petals appear like they are leathery and dark red and the majority of the moisture has evaporated approximately 1 thirty minutes and one hour in an oven or three hours with the dehydrator. The petals should remain firm as well as not dry as in the sun-dried tomato.
Step 14: To serve, place three slices of tomatoes that have been dehydrated on a small plate, in three lines parallel to each other.
Step 15: Put a few dehydrated tomato skins in the grinder of a coffee maker, and crush them until they’ve transformed into an extremely fine powder.
Step 16: Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons tomato powder on the tomato petals that have been dehydrated and make sure you season each flower with plenty of salt.
Step 17: Garnish each tomato with fresh edible flowers and herbs.
