Chef Lari Helenius won the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy for Euro Asia Region.
Lightly Marinated Cherry Tomatoes, Lemon-Thyme Flavoured Tomato Water, Shrimps and Salmon Roe
Ingredients
Cherry tomatoes: 20 pcs, different colours
White vinegar: 100 g
Caster sugar: 200 g
Water: 300 g
Salt
Black pepper
Poppy seeds: 20 g
Over ripe tomatoes: 600 g
Garlic: 1 clove
Lemon zest: 1, grated
Salt
Lemon thyme leaves: 0,5 dl
Neutral oil: 1 dl
Sour cream: 100 g
Lemon juice: 10 g
Salt
Artic ocean shrimps: 30
Lemon juice: 10 g
Olive oil: 10 g
Salmon roe: 60 g
Horseradish: 20 g
Almonds: 20 g, roasted
Lemon thyme leaves
Chervil
Chrysanthemum
Chef Lari Helenius has created a recipe that is a real hymn to summer. In the dish, the umami of marinated cherry tomatoes meets the sweetness of Arctic shrimps and lightly smoked salmon roe from Finland.
The sour cream gives creaminess to this dish, which is refreshed by tomato water and flavoured with lemon thyme.
A simple dish to prepare, but with a unique taste.
Start by making the brine: boil vinegar, sugar and water, and let it cool to room temperature.
Cut the tomatoes in half and pour the brine over them. Let them marinate for about three hours. Season with freshly ground black pepper and a good pinch of salt.
Roast the poppy seeds in a hot pan and sprinkle on top of the tomatoes.
Tomato water
Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters. Add tomatoes, garlic, grated lemon zest and salt to a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.
Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour pureed tomatoes into the sieve with the cheesecloth. Cover and chill for four hours or overnight. Do not press on the tomato mixture, let it strain by itself.
Lemon thyme oil
Pick the leaves off a lemon thyme stem. Put the leaves and the oil in a food processor and process for about 60 seconds. Sieve through a cheesecloth.
Split the tomato water with lemon thyme oil.
Sour cream
Lightly whip the sour cream and season with lemon juice and salt. Put it into the piping bag.
Shrimps
Peel the shrimps and toss them with lemon juice and olive oil.
To finishing
Spread the marinated tomatoes on the plate. Pipe the sour cream and top the tomatoes with shrimps and salmon roe. Grate the roasted almonds and horseradish, and finish with lemon thyme leaves, chervil stems and chrysanthemum. Serve together with tomato water and lemon thyme oil. Serve everything lightly chilled and enjoy.