One Tomato makes Two Lunches!

Yesterday …

Uber Tomato Sandwich filled with Boursin Mayonnaise

Nubbly Toast

Secret Red

Today ...

Fried Red Tomatoes with Flowers of Scotland

More Secret Red

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This was no ordinary tomato, this was a Tesco’s Finest tomato.

I've been Googling to try and find out what kind of tomato this is.  My brain is telling me Marmande but it’s been known to be wrong before and I wanted to check.  All I can find out is that it is “an Heirloom tomato”, I’d like to know more - any ideas?

For yesterday’s lunch I made myself a tomato sandwich of sorts, filling it with Boursin softened with mayonnaise which I can tell you tastes very good indeed. I ate some nubbly toast with it, quaffed some wine and wondered about the rest of the tomato as I’d only used 2 slices.

By today I had come up with a plan ...

 Fried Red Tomatoes (based very closely on Fried Green Tomatoes)  but I couldn’t be bothered with flouring and egging so as I was making my Real Man a boiled ham and pease pudding sarnie (in truth about half a baguette) I dunked the tomato slices in the ham broth to help the panko crumbs stick and it worked a treat.

What’s the blue stuff?

I imagine it is borage.  I have had a jar of something in the corner of the cupboard for about a year and occasionally I spot it and think “hmm”.  This happened this morning so I decided to get it out and investigate – it is some kind of seasoning containing Scottish flowers so I had myself a sprinkle.  Slightly spicy, slightly salty, very pretty!  

If  you think that'must have been a big tomato - just look at this one I met in France!!

Fried Green Tomatoes on Yacht Carapace

~  Menu  ~

Fried Green Tomatoes with Boursin

Spicy Hot V8

Coffee

A handful of Grapes

Our friends, Bob & Roberta, left the island a few days ago and the old adage is true – you can’t take it with you.  Among the things they didn’t take with them were their tomato plants so, as instructed, I helped myself to a few green ones.  Unfortunately one of the buggers ripened overnight!

When I used to chef out here I had a “supplier”; a guy down the road from who brought me bags of homegrown green tomatoes, all different shapes and sizes from tiny cherry tomatoes to huge marmande.  

I would coat them in panko crumbs, fry till crisp and serve with crumbled feta cheese and fresh hot chilli.  I made the most of the different tomatoes by cutting in slices, and wedges and arranging them to show off their shapes and the fact that they were different varieties – they used to look lovely.  I felt sure I had a photo somewhere in this computer but I can’t find it.  Just one of my old daily specials menus …

One of the wait staff didn’t like the way I had worded the dish; she felt it implied that we killed and cooked our customers! 

Today I didn’t faff about much, I did use the ripened tomato as well as the green and, you know, I’m glad I did.  It was extra pleasant tasting a tart and tangy slice and then a sweeter one.  Of course I had a limited choice of accompaniments but managed admirably with some Boursin and toast. 

Fried Green Tomatoes

firm green tomatoes

salt and pepper (and/or other sprinkly seasonings of your choice)

flour

olive oil or, you know … bacon fat

~   Slice the tomatoes thinly.

~   Season and coat with the flour, or coat in seasoned flour – I put the flour and seasonings in a mixing bowl, added the sliced tomatoes and gave them a damn good shaking.

~   Shallow fry in a little oil till crisp and brown in places on both sides.

~   Drain on paper towel and eat.

Breadcrumbs, cornmeal and panko crumbs all make admirable coatings too but flour is fine.  My lunch was lovely, as ever.

Our boat - Carapace ...