Heirloom Tomato Salad

One of my favorite ingredients to work with during the summer has to be Heirloom Tomatoes. No summer menu is complete without a generous sprinkling of heirlooms throughout, and a featured dish is a must.

Many different types of heirloom tomatoes are currently on the market, direct descendants of “old school” strains before they were crossbred into uniformed, tasteless, mass-produced tomatoes that you find in today’s super markets.

The heirloom salad that we serve at Fredrick’s is a playful twist on the ever-traditional Caprese. Our version at the restaurant still uses sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, but is then garnished with fried basil, balsamic reduction and de-hydrated olive oil; not to mention one of my all time favorite sauces, the Vierge.

So here are the recipes and how to bring it all together in the comfort of your own home.

Tomato Vierge

• 2 Large Basil Leaves
• 20g Vinegar
• 200g Heirloom Tomato, Raw and Quartered (about 1 medium tomato)
• 1 Clove of Raw Garlic, Peeled
• 350-400g Canola Oil
• 1-2g Xanthan Gum, Optional

1. Place all ingredients except for the canola oil into a good, strong blender, and blend smooth on medium speed. The Xanthan Gum can also be added to help aid in the emulsification of the canola oil, but its not mandatory.
2. Slowly start to drizzle in the canola oil, a little bit at a time, until it’s completely incorporated into the tomato mixture. As the emulsification becomes thicker, turn up the blender until it reaches it’s highest setting. (Note: For more information about making an emulsification and the science behind it, you can reference this article here).
3. Once all the canola oil is completely incorporated and the emulsification is formed, turn of the blender, and press finished Vierge through a fine mesh strainer, using the bottom side of a 20z ladle (this will insure a smooth consistency).
4. Place in an airtight container and reserve in your refrigerator.

Dehydrated Olive Oil

The dehydrated olive oil is a fun technique that steels a page out of the packaged food industry’s playbook. The technique uses a tapioca extract called Tapioca-Maltodextrin which will dehydrate fat when mixed together. The coolest part is, when dehydrated fat comes into contact with moisture (such as the saliva in y0ur mouth), it will rehydrate back into its original form, in this case a hi-grade extra virgin olive oil.

• 50g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 100g Tapioca-Maltodextrin

1. Combine ingredients in a food process and mix together for about 10 seconds. It should form a soft powder.
2. The consistency of the powder can be adjusted by either adding more maltodextrin to dry it out, or more olive oil to moisten it slightly.
3. Reserve in an airtight container and store at room temperature.

Fried Basil Leaves

• 2 Liters of Canola Oil
• Fresh Picked Basil Leaves (One Salad Calls for 3-5 Leaves)

1. Heat Canola Oil to 375 Degrees, using a candy or fry thermometer to accurately control the temperature.
2. Place 5-10 basil leaves in the cradle of a spider, and very carefully, while standing back from the hot oil, drop the basil leaves slowly into the hot oil. Be very careful, because for the first 2-3 seconds the water content will burst out of the leaves, so make sure that you’re standing back and there are no children in the kitchen.
3. After about 15-20 seconds, the basil leaves will have fried to a crisp. Remove leaves from oil and drain on a paper towel, salting liberally with kosher salt.
4. Store in an airtight container lined with paper towels at room temperature.

Balsamic Reduction

• 500g balsamic vinegar
• 200g sugar

1. Combine in a sauce pan and reduce by half over medium heat.
2. Let cool down and store in a plastic squeeze bottle.

Bringing It All Together

(Ingredients For One Salad)

• 1 0z/28g Tomato Vierge
• 2 Medium Sized Heirloom Tomatoes of your choice, sliced 1/2″ Thick
• 5 Fresh mozzarella Balls
• 3-5 Fried Basil Leaves
• 1/2 oz/14g Balsamic Reduction
• 1/2 oz/15g Dehydrated Olive Oil
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper and Kosher Salt To Taste

1. Start by spooning a swath of Vierge onto your plate.
2. Shingle your sliced heirloom tomatoes on top of the Vierge.
3. Evenly disperse the mozzarella balls and fried basil across the tomatoes (see picture at top for reference).
4. Drizzle balsamic reduction over the tomatoes, and finish by seasoning with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
5. Garnish the plate with the dehydrated olive oil.
6. The Owner of Fredrick’s, Greg, recommends a nice glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc to accompany this dish (and a good crust of bread for mopping up the Vierge).

Note: Although this dish may seem complex, you can simplify the preparation by using regular olive oil and fresh basil instead of fried.