A chef friend of the mill, Kenny Allan, has devised this stunning recipe for us. Give it a go and let us know what you think!
Ingredients
Stuffed Tomatoes:
- 4 large beefeater tomatoes
- 100g Bere berries
- 4 Shallots
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 100g Mushrooms
- 20 wild Garlic Leaves
- 50ml White wine
- 1 teaspoon Veg Bouillon
- Tomato Concasse (skinned and chopped)
- 50ml rapeseed oil
Sorrel and Whisky cream:
- 50 mls olive oil
- 2 shallots – peeled and finely chopped
- 50 mls whisky
- 150 mls double cream
- Salt and pepper
- 10 sorrel leaves
Alternatives:
Replace wild garlic with chard or spinach.
Use Highland Park whisky for a smoky flavour in the sauce.
Use smoked Orkney cheddar.
Method
1. Soak bere berries overnight in water to soften.
2. Finely chop shallots and garlic, and slice mushrooms. Sauté these in rapeseed oil before adding the drained bere berries. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Gradually add vegetable bouillon to the pan and let it simmer. Continue cooking until the bere is al dente, around 15-20mins.
4. In a separate wide-based pan, heat a splash of oil and briefly sauté the wild garlic leaves until wilted. Remove from the heat and blend into a purée.
5. Prepare the tomatoes by slicing off the top ½cm and a slither from the bottom to stabilise them. Scoop out the insides and chop the tomato flesh, then stir into the bere berries risotto.
6. Fill each hollowed tomato with layers of wild garlic purée and bere barley mixture, repeating the layers twice.
7. Sprinkle the top with grated Gruyère cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
8. For the whisky and sorrel cream, heat olive oil in a pan, sauté shallots until soft, then add whisky. Carefully flambé, then pour in cream and let it reduce slightly. Stir in chopped sorrel leaves, and season to taste.
9. Serve the baked tomatoes on a bed of whisky and sorrel cream, garnished with additional sorrel leaves and garlic flowers for a touch of elegance.
