TOMATOES

GREEN TOMATOES WITH A CHOPPED OLIVE AND HERB SAUCE

Green tomatoes are the end-of-season spoils when frosty weather arrives and vines shrivel leaving the green fruit. Their flavour is significantly different from fully ripened tomatoes. They are moist, not juicy, and sour to the point of astringency. We have a waste-not-want-not approach to pretty much everything nature delivers, and this scrumptious combination will convince you it’s worth it.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes | SERVES: 6

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) firm green tomatoes

¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

3 anchovy fillets in olive oil, finely chopped (optional)

10 large pitted black olives, finely chopped

1 handful each mint leaves and parsley, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped marjoram

sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

½ cup (70 g/2¼ oz) chopped raw almonds, lightly toasted

Slice the tomatoes thinly and arrange on a plate. Put the oil, shallot, anchovies, olives, mint, parsley, marjoram with salt and pepper to taste, in a bowl. Mix well and add to the tomatoes, gently turning the tomatoes through the herb mixture. Just before serving, sprinkle over the toasted almonds.

TIP Excess green tomatoes can be washed, cored and frozen to use in a pasta sauce. They will ripen eventually on the bench but the flavour will have slightly diminished.