Method
For the preserved tomato petals, take 2.5kg of over-ripe, tomatoes. Blanch or steam them for 40 seconds and refresh in iced water. Remove skin and cut the tomatoes into quarters from top to bottom. Dehydrate the skin and innards at 52 degrees for up to 12 hours, or until fully dry and crisp. Powder the tomato ‘waste’ in a spice grinder or high speed blender. Put aside for garnish.
Take the tomato petals and season well with sea salt. Start to dry them in a low oven, ideally at 90 degrees with low humidity. After an hour, dress the semi dry tomatoes with Yorkshire Rapeseed oil so they are semi submerged. Lay slices of paper thin garlic and chopped thyme to each ‘petal’. Continue to cook until they become almost chewy and would have reduced in size by 2/3’s. Remove from oven and store, covered in oil, until needed. If fully submerged in oil, they will last, preserved, for up to 3 months. For the tomato tartare, take your tomato petals and hand chop to a texture that resembles minced beef. Add shallot, capers or another preserved buds, like wild garlic, gherkin, Dijon mustard, black olives, mayonnaise. Mix together until just combined, don’t mush it up. Season with sea salt, lemon juice and black pepper. The final mixture should resemble a classic beef tartare and have the same piquancy.
Garnish by placing the mixture into a shallow, pastry ring, again like classic beef tartare. Serve with a soft, poached yolk and dust with tomato powder.
Serve with thinly sliced, toasted bread, ideally a ciabatta or focaccia and a spicy leaf leaf, like fresh watercress or rocket.
