Category Archives: Nightingale

Heirloom tomato, tahini, baba ghanouj, mint, and grilled focaccia

Ingredients:

2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes
30 heirloom cherry tomatoes (Sungold varietal preferred)
100g tahini & cilantro dressing (recipe below)
140g baba ghanouj (recipe below)
15 mint leaves
15 basil leaves
3 slices of grilled bread (focaccia preferred)
Olive oil (to taste)
Maldon salt (to taste)

Method:

1. In a medium-sized pot, bring salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath and place on the counter next to your stovetop.
2. Cut a very shallow “X” pattern on the bottom of our heirloom tomatoes and place gently into the boiling water and leave for 30 seconds.
3. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to your ice bath and leave for 2 minutes to stop cooking process.
4. Remove tomatoes from the ice bath and peel the skin.
5. Cut the tomato in half and remove the core by cutting a V shape around the core (note: the core will extend deep into the tomato, so any visibly tough and pale parts of the stem should be removed).
6. Cut tomatoes into 2.5cm wedges and reserve.
7. Halve all cherry tomatoes and reserve.
8. On a large platter, smear the tahini and cilantro dressing in a large shallow circle, leaving about an inch of clearance around the perimeter of the platter.
9. Scatter both the tomato wedges and cherry tomatoes on top of the dressing and season with olive oil and a generous amount of Maldon salt.
10. Tear basil and mint leaves into bite sizes and sprinkles around.
11. Serve with grilled bread on the side, or cut the bread after it is grilled into crouton sized pieces.

Tahini & Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients:

100g tahini
65g white wine vinegar
60g water
10g sesame oil
55g canola oil
10g kosher salt
1 cilantro bunch
1g cayenne pepper

Method:

1. In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients.
2. Puree slowly at first, and then increase speed as ingredients start spinning.
3. Turn up to medium-high speed and blend until mixture is emulsified, but do not blend too long as the heat from the friction can brown the dressing.
4. Transfer mixture to an airtight container – this will last approx. 5 days in the fridge.

Baba Ghanouj

Ingredients:

250g charred eggplant (Italian purple preferred)
20g roasted garlic
3g cumin, toasted and ground
10g rice vinegar
4g kosher salt
20g tahini
15g lemon juice

Method:

1. Char eggplants whole on a grill until burnt on the outside and soft on the inside. Reserve in a colander in the sink for 30 minutes to allow excess liquid to drain.
2. Remove the stem off the eggplants and discard.
3. Combine eggplants (skin and all) with all other ingredients in a food processor.
4. Blend until mixture is smooth (approximately 2 minutes).

Watercress & Endive Salad, Roasted Carrots, Crispy Farro, Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

2 bunches of watercress (washed and thick stems removed)
2 Belgian endives, split top to bottom, cut into 0.5cm ribbons
½ bunch orange carrots, scrubbed and split lengthways
3 tbsp carrot escabeche (recipe below)
5 tbsp tahini dressing (recipe below)
4 tbsp crispy farro (recipe below)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients, except for farro, in a large stainless steel mixing bowl.
2. Toss gently to combine, using your hands to ensure the ingredients are well distributed throughout the mixture. Taste a small amount and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
3. Transfer mixture to a serving dish or platter and garnish with crispy farro.

Carrot Escabeche

Ingredients:

160g olive oil
30g salt
325g shallot, sliced with the grain
1400g carrots, sliced thinly on mandoline
3 jalepeno peppers, cut into 6 pieces
300ml white wine
700ml white wine vinegar
1 rosemary sprig
1 small bunch fresh thyme
4 fresh bay leaves

Method:

1. In a large rondeau, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
2. Add herbs, carrots, shallots, and salt.
3. Stir thoroughly.
4. Add white wine, and white wine vinegar, bring mixture to a boil, and remove from heat and cool immediately in a shallow hotel pan.

Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

100g tahini
65g white wine vinegar
60g water
10g sesame oil
55g canola oil
10g salt

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a container.
2. Blend with immersion blender until homogenous.
3. Taste and reserve.
4. Agitate well before use.

Crispy Farro

Ingredients:

200g farro
10g salt
3L water

Method:

1. Bring water and salt to a simmer.
2. Add farro and simmer on low for approximately 12 minutes, or until partially cooked.
3. Drain farro well, and spread onto a parchment paper lined tray in a single layer.
4. Dehydrate at room temperature overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 400F, transfer tray of farro to middle rack of oven, and cook until crispy and golden brown. Check often!
6. Transfer to a mixing bowl when cooled, season with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

6oz brussel sprouts, halved
20g concord grapes, pickled
20g canola oil
10g parsley leaves, whole
30g pine nuts, roasted and roughly blitzed
30g sherry vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Heat a pan and place brussels face down, season with salt. Then add a thin layer of oil. This will prevent oil splatter from sprouts.
3. Once you see light golden brown, place in oven.
4. Cook until the stem is tender. You are trying to achieve a dark golden brown colour.
5. Wilt parsley, strain excess oil and transfer to a stainless steel bowl.
6. Add sherry vinegar and grapes to the bowl, toss to combine.
7. Place on an oval plate and garnish with pine nuts.

Pickled Concord Grapes

Ingredients:

300g white wine vinegar
200g water
100g sugar
1g bay leaves
10g black peppercorns, toasted
5g coriander seeds
10g salt

Method:

1. Place all ingredients into a pot and bring it up to a boil
2. Transfer pickling liquid into a heat proof container and chill on ice immediately
3. Once cool strain spices and aromatics.
4. Cover concord grapes with cooled pickling liquid for minimum 12 hours before using.