A few weeks ago I had a lovely wine tasting at Babylonstoren. They serve the most delightful snack platters at their tasting room, packed with fantastic fresh produce from their breathtaking, abundant gardens as well as a selection of locally sourced charcuterie and cheeses. It’s totally worth a visit and great value for money.
One of the most memorable items on these snack platters was a jar of marinated baby tomatoes. I assumed that they were slow roasted because of the intense flavour, but after enquiring about them the management confided that they were simply marinated overnight in a mixture of lots of red wine vinegar, olive oil and fresh herbs.
I decided to give it a go at home, and after marinating a jar overnight I served it with a few greens, some shaved multicoloured raw beetroot and a few slices of crottin (goats cheese). What a magnificently colourful picture! I loved the crunchy, earthiness of the beetroot, the tang of the crottin and the bursting sweetness of the tomatoes. Such a stunning looking salad for summer entertaining.
Ingredients for the marinated tomatoes: (serves 4)
- about 250 g rosa/cherry tomatoes, halved
- a sprig of rosemary, stalk removed, finely chopped
- 1/2 clove garlic, finely grated (optional)
- 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Place the tomatoes, rosemary and garlic in a 500g glass jar. Add the vinegar and oil and season with salt & pepper. Close the jar and tilt it over to mix all the ingredients. Refrigerate overnight to marinate (or for at least 6 hours).
For the salad: (serves 4)
- a handful green leaves, washed
- a few baby beets, peeled & finely sliced/shaved (mandolin cutter works best)
- a few radishes, finely shaved
- 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
- a chunk of crottin (goats cheese), sliced
- one batch of marinated tomatoes (see above)
- a handful mixed micro herbs (optional)
Method:
Arrange the leaves, beets, radishes, red onion, crottin and tomatoes on a salad platter or on individual plates. Top with micro herbs and dress with the tomato marinade. Serve immediately.