Make Ahead

Tomato Tempura with Spicy Jicama Slaw

October  4, 2022
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

When I first saw the contest, I laughingly tweeted "salt, pepper. I win", and I sort of meant it. A good tomato is so good and so rare that I love them unadorned, or classically presented. But I started thinking of something really fun I could serve that would preserve the tomato as front and center. And then I was thinking of Fried Green Tomatoes...and then I came to this. —BrooklynBridget

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Ingredients
  • 1 large heirloom tomato
  • 1.5 cups jicama, peeled and match-stick cut
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1.5 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 ear of corn
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup ice water
  • 4 cups grapeseed oil
Directions
  1. Roast Corn: On stovetop grill, place cob on medium-high heat and turn and roast until corn is moist and nicely charred. Allow to cool and shave off niblets (is that really what they are called?) with sharp knife.
  2. For Slaw: Mix together jicama, corn, lime juice, mayonnaise, cilantro, jalapeno, salt to taste and set aside. Flavors work better if left for at least half hour before serving.
  3. For Tempura Batter: Straight up Bittman Tempura recipe. Lightly whisk the egg yolk, ice water and 1/2 cup of the flour in a bowl.
  4. Prepare Tomato: Make two hefty tomato slices, each about 1/2 inch thick. Season the tomato liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge through the remaining 1/2 cup of flour
  5. Tempura: Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy medium sized saucepan for about 5 minutes. Test if it is ready by adding a drop of batter into oil. If it bubbles and stays toward top, it is ready. After dredging, dip each tomato into tempura batter and drop into the pot. Watch carefully, as you want batter to form and turn light golden. Remove immediately, as you want tomato to retain texture and structure.
  6. Top with slaw and serve with additional lime and cilantro.

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1 Review

bugbitten July 13, 2012
This looks yummy. I'll try it when the good tomatoes get here.