Serves 4
This is named after a friend of mine who ate it at my home last Christmas and then asked for the recipe.
It’s one of my favorite recipes for a buffet or to serve with cold meats. It is very piquant and tasty.
You will need a dish of any shape with approximately 1 litre capacity.
Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- 6 medium / large tomatoes
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 jar artichoke hearts in brine – optional
- 1 tbsp capers – chopped
- 1 tbsp gherkins – chopped
- 1 can anchovy fillets in oil
- 3 tbsp wine vinegar
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- 6 tbsp salad oil
- 4 dessps tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp chopped herbs e.g. parsley, chives and mint
Method:
Hard boil the eggs. Peel the tomatoes by firstly cutting a small cross in their stalk ends. Put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water.
Leave 2 minutes then transfer them to cold water. The skins will easily slip off.
Dry on kitchen paper. Cut in half through the stalk ends.
Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the tomatoes quickly on each side. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
If using artichokes, drain and trim off the hard outside leaves.
Soak the anchovies in a little milk. Slice the eggs and arrange them in the base of the dish. Add sliced artichoke hearts. Scatter over the capers and gherkins. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on top.
Dressing: mix together the vinegar, mustard, salad oil, tomato ketchup and herbs. Taste for salt, pepper and pinch of sugar.
Pour evenly over the tomatoes.
Drain the anchovies, cut in half lengthwise if they are wide. Arrange in a lattice over the top. Chill before serving.