Fresh Tomato Essence

* original recipe from Raymond Blanc.

* serves 4 - makes 700-800ml tomato essence

Planning Ahead:
This tomato essence is best prepared a day in advance of cooking day.

Ingredients:
2-3kg cherry tomatoes, washed and cut into halves
1/2 celery stick, washed and finely chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, washed and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
a handful of thymes springs, leaves stripped and chopped
5g/ a box of basil leaves, chopped
10g sea salt
10g caster sugar (optional if tomatoes sweet enough)


How to make:
1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Blitz the mixture in food processor for a few times. Blitz each batch using the pulse button for 2-5 seconds only.

3. Return to a big bowl, cover and leave to macerate at room temperature for 3 hrs.

4. Pour the above to a cloth bag (eg. muslin bag) over a big bowl and hung/suspend the bag above the bowl, which will collect the golden liquid as it drips through. It is best to hung overnight to collect these golden drops. Otherwise, it will need 2-3 hrs.

5. After you collect the golden liquid, if it is not "golden" enough OR if you are greedy like me and don't want to waste any tomatoes inside the bag which might still contain some juice and would like to squeeze them all out via the bag, you can pour the liquid in glass container and chill in refrigerator overnight.

6. Next day, the "red" stuff will sink to the bottom of your glass container, and you can just pour out the "golden" liquid - which is the TOMATO ESSENCE and which is this essence which makes your dishes SPECIAL and FRESH like  no one else!

Enjoy~