Dan Barber’s Late Summer Recipes

by Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Chef Dan Barber’s Bowl of Tomatos

Yield: Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Cantaloupe Broth:
• 3 very ripe cantaloupes


Tomato Water:
• 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 8 overripe tomatoes
• 1 ounce vodka


Homemade Yoghurt:
• 3/4 cup milk
• ¼ cup cream
• 2 Tablespoons plain yoghurt


Yoghurt Broth:
• 1 cup Homemade Yoghurt
• 4 ounces Tomato Water
• 1 ounce white verjus
• Salt and pepper to taste


Bowl of Tomatoes and Melons:
• 1 cantaloupe, halved, seeded, and cut into 1 inch-thick slices
• 1 Cherokee Purple tomato, cut into 3/4 inch-thick wedges
• 1 Aunt Ruby’s German Green tomato, cut into 3/4 inch-thick wedges
• 1 Kellogg’s Breakfast tomato, cut into 3/4 inch-thick wedges
• 1 Brandywine tomato, cut into 3/4 inch-thick wedges
• 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and scooped into melon balls
• White balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup purslane, washed and dried
• Red and green basil, chiffonaded

Method:
For the Cantaloupe Broth:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cut the cantaloupes in half and remove the seeds. Place cantaloupes cut-side up on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 3-3½ hours, or until the cantaloupe flesh is very soft and has started to caramelize. Remove the cantaloupes from the oven and scoop the flesh from the skins into a bowl. Squeeze the cantaloupe through your fingers. Line a colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Place the cantaloupe into the colander and set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, until all the liquid has drained. Reserve the liquid for the cantaloupe broth.

For the Tomato Water:
Add the salt, pepper and sugar to the tomatoes and marinate for 4 hours then pulse briefly in food processor with vodka. Line a colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Pour the tomatoes into the colander and set in the refrigerator overnight, until all the liquid is drained.

For the Homemade Yoghurt:
In a small pot, bring the milk and cream to a boil. Cool to the mixture 43°C and whisk in yoghurt. Transfer the contents to a sterilized jar and place in a thermal circulator for 12-14 hours at 43°C.

For the Yoghurt Broth:
In a narrow container or bowl, use an immersion blender to mix all the ingredients until they foam at the top.

For the Bowl of Tomatoes and Melons:
Seal the cantaloupe slices in Cryovac bags at the highest possible setting. Remove and cut into 1½-inch by 1½-inch pieces. In separate bowls, season the tomatoes and cucumber with salt, pepper and white balsamic; let marinate for 5 minutes. Arrange the tomatoes (1-2 slices of each variety) with the cantaloupe and cucumber balls in individual serving bowls. Sprinkle generously with basil and purslane. Spoon over some Cantaloupe Broth, and carefully top the salads with 3-4 spoonfuls of Yoghurt Broth.