I’ve always felt that picnics should form a category of food all on its own. Think about it, picnics are completely different to any other style of dining. They don’t fall under canapés, starters, mains or dessert – yet they can be a combination of everything at once. You can also dress them up or dress them down depending on the occasion. Just a fresh crusty loaf, a good cheese and an easy-going wine are enough to call it a picnic. But by the same token, you can pull all the stops, complete with a marquee tent, lots of poufs and a large feast with tapas and bubbly. It’s one of my favourite pastimes in Nice, especially on a summery Sunday at Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. But I never pass up the opportunity to picnic in the Cape Winelands. I made this scrumptious salad recently on one such winelands visit and thought this cherry (tomato) inspired delight was just too good not to share!
PICKLED TOMATO AND CHERRY SALAD
Cooking Time: 30 min | Drying time: overnight | Serves: 4
for the pickle
2 large tomatoes
120 ml white balsamic vinegar
80 ml white wine vinegar
200 ml water
50 ml brown sugar
5 ml salt
1 bay leaf
2 ml dried chili flakes (optional)
5 black peppercorns
for the vinaigrette
30 ml tomato pickling liquid
10 ml dijon mustard
5 ml brown sugar (optional)
5 ml dried tomato seeds
80 ml olive oil
50 ml grape seed oil
salt and pepper to taste
for the salad
100 g sugar snap peas
250 g mixed baby tomatoes
120 g wild rocket
170 g asparagus
60 g cherries
pickled tomatoes
Sterilise 1 x 250 ml glass preserve jar.
Pre heat oven to 60°C. Place the vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a small saucepan. Place on heat and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the pepper corns, chili flakes and bay leaf and simmer for 10 minutes.
Prepare the tomatoes while the pickling liquid is simmering by slicing the tomatoes in 8 wedges and removing the seeds. Place the seeds on paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place on an oven tray lined with a baking paper and dry overnight.
Place the tomato wedges inside the glass jar and top with the pickling liquid, ensuring the jar is filled with the liquid. Close the jar carefully and allow to cool down at room temperature.
for the vinaigrette
In a mixing bowl whisk together the mustard, pickling liquid, and dried tomato seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the oils until thickened.
Store in the fridge until needed. Whisk again just before serving.
for the salad
Remove the pips from the cherries and slice in half. Prepare all the ingredients for the salad and mix in a bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Serve with remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Reserve left over pickled tomatoes.
