Tomato tartare :: Tartar de tomate

Salmon, tuna, steak tartar... all these variations are very popular in many menus of a good restaurant. I like the salty spicy taste that the first bite gives you. And, because of the seasoning, you hardly notice you are eating everything raw.

However, if you don't want or cannot eat raw meat / fish I suggest a new tartare that you will hardly notice it is base on tomatos. Why? Because tomatoes are dehydrated. 

Ingredients (2 portions)

•  600 gr. of tomatos
  
• 20 gr. of spring onion
• 10 gr. of capers
• 10 gr. of pickles 
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Mustard
• Olive oil

Elaboration 
Firstly, we want to peel the tomatos and extract the pulp to proceed with dehydrating. To make things easier, we will wash the tomatos and draw a cross in the bottom with a knife. Then, we will blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 5 seconds. Quickly, we'll put in a bowl with water and ice to break the cooking process. Now, you will see how easy is peeling them of.

Then, remove the pulp and the seeds and keep the proper meat of the tomatos. It is a little bit messy because tomatos are very watery but that's exactly what we don't want: water. The more water the more hydrated. And we, actually, want the opposite of it.

  
Now, there are many techniques for dehydrating tomatoes. I found on internet an easy one but requires some time: the microwave.
Cover the microwave plate with paper towels (I put 4). Then, place the tomates on and heat them during 5 minutes at 750 oC. 

After that time, take them out and squeeze each piece with a spoon to get rid off the remaining water. Repeat the same process until 4-5 times (which means, 25 minutes later...). Replace the paper towels as nedeed.
You'll know when the tomatoes are dry because you can easily unstick them with almost no waste left in the paper.
Let the tomatos cold down.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, the capers and the pickles. 

Grab the tomatos, cut them a little bit and put everything together in a bowl. 
Season it with black pepper and salt and, then, add the mustard and the olive oil.

Mix everything together until all the ingredients are very well integrated and leave it in the fridge for 1 hour.
 
The key here is dehydrated tomatoes because the not only replace the meat but its taste and texture will remind you to it!

Now you have your veggie tartare. Enjoy!