Olive Oil Confit Tomato Sashimi with Charred Serrano Ponzu

Introduction

There is a quiet alchemy when you bring farmers market Early Girls into a low, fragrant olive oil bath. This confit sashimi yields a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth richness that honors raw coastal fish traditions while staying rooted in California sunshine, grounded by charred serrano heat and bright wine-country verjus.

Ingredients

• 4 large firm heirloom tomatoes (such as Early Girl or Brandywine), scored and peeled
• 1 1/2 cups California extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 strip dried kombu (about 3 inches)
• 2 wide strips Meyer lemon or Ojai pixie tangerine peel
• 1 clove garlic, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 tbsp verjus or fresh lime juice
• 1 charred serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely minced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 ripe Haas avocado, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 tbsp toasted white and black sesame seeds
• Flaky sea salt and fresh cilantro microgreens or sea purslane for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Score an X on the base of each tomato, blanch for 30 seconds until the skins split, then plunge immediately into the ice bath to peel smoothly.
2. Quarter the peeled tomatoes and carefully slice out the seeds and watery core, keeping only the dense, meaty outer petals.
3. Preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C). Lay the tomato petals in a snug oven-safe dish, fully submerging them in olive oil alongside the kombu strip, citrus peel, garlic clove, and a generous pinch of sea salt.
4. Confit gently in the oven for 75 to 90 minutes until the tomato petals turn unctuous and silky without collapsing. Cool completely in the oil, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up.
5. Whisk together the tamari, verjus, minced charred serrano, and toasted sesame oil in a small bowl to form the ponzu.
6. Lift the chilled confit petals from the oil and slice diagonally on a bias into neat sashimi-style ribbons.
7. Arrange the confit tomato ribbons alongside thinly sliced avocado on chilled ceramic plates. Spoon the charred ponzu over top, then garnish with toasted sesame seeds, flaky sea salt, and tender microgreens.

Plate this up on a sun-drenched afternoon alongside crisp tostadas or warm rustic sourdough and a glass of crisp Mendocino white. It is vibrant, silky, and everything coastal living is about.

Emily