Not-Your-Average Tomato Salad

Oh wow. The punchy dressing, with its garlic, ginger and fish sauce, is what makes this salad so special. Use whatever mixture of tomatoes you can get your hands on, although stay clear of cheap salad tomatoes as it just won't have the same effect. This dish is so full of flavour you won't look at tomatoes quite the same ever again.

Serving Suggestion: Alongside a range of other veg dishes for a summer spread, or with some juicy prawns or fresh fish.

Difficulty Level: 2

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Ingredients:

Serves 4 as a side.

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

• 35g ginger, peeled and julienned

• 135ml olive oil

• Flaked sea salt and black pepper

• 3-4 limes – zest finely grated, to get 1 tbsp, and juiced, to get 3 tbsp

• 2 tbsp fish sauce – check for gluten content, if need be (or, for vegetarians and vegans, 1½ tbsp light soy sauce)

• 2½ tbsp (10g) coriander leaves, roughly chopped

• 500g vine or heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into 1.5cm thick slices

• 300g mixed cherry tomatoes (red, yellow, orange, black), cut in half lengthways

• ½ red onion, peeled and cut into thin rounds (60g net weight)

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Method:

1. Put the garlic, ginger, oil and a half-teaspoon of flaked salt in a small saute pan, set it over a medium-low heat and cook gently, swirling the pan every now and then, for 20-25 minutes, until the solids are lightly golden. Strain through a sieve set over a bowl to catch the oil, then leave the oil to cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer the solids to a plate lined with absorbent paper, where they will crisp up further.

2. Once the oil has cooled a little, use a fork to whisk in the lime zest and juice, fish sauce and coriander.

3. Gently toss all the tomatoes with a teaspoon of flaked salt and a generous grind of pepper, then arrange on a platter with the sliced red onion, so everything sits in a single layer and overlaps slightly. Spoon over the dressing, scatter on the crisp ginger and garlic, and serve right away.

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