Tony’s Take on Tomato Carpaccio at Tropicana

Ingredients

• 2-3 large Heirloom tomatoes (Green Zebra or Yellow Brandywine preferred)
• 1/2 cup roasted pistachios, shelled
• 3 oz Sheep's milk Manchego cheese, block form
• 1 cup mixed baby greens (beet greens, mizuna, or frisée)
• FOR THE DRESSING:
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
• 1 clove garlic, germ removed
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or crème fraîche (the stabilizer)
• 1 tbsp high-quality mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Black pepper, freshly cracked

Instructions

1. First, let's address the knife work. You need a deadly sharp chef's knife or a mandoline. Slice the heirloom tomatoes horizontally into rounds about 1/8th of an inch thick. Consistency is key here; we want them to drape on the plate, not sit like steaks.
2. For the dressing, we are building a stable emulsion. In a high-speed blender, combine the basil, mint, garlic, lemon juice, yogurt, mayonnaise, and a pinch of black pepper. Blitz until the herbs are completely pulverized and the base is pale green.
3. With the blender running on low, slowly stream in the olive oil. This mechanical action forces the oil droplets to suspend in the yogurt base, creating that creamy, opaque texture we see in the photo. Taste and adjust acidity.
4. Arrangement is architectural. Lay the tomato slices flat on a large chilled platter, slightly overlapping them to cover the surface area. This maximizes the 'bite ratio' of tomato to sauce.
5. Generously spoon or ladle the creamy herb dressing over the tomatoes. You want heavy coverage, pooling slightly in the gaps.
6. Using a vegetable peeler, shave long, thin ribbons of the Manchego cheese directly over the dressed tomatoes. The fat in the cheese will cut the acid of the tomato.
7. Scatter the roasted pistachios over the top for necessary textural contrast (Tony's Law #1: We need crunch, but outside the soft elements).
8. Garnish with the baby greens for height and bitterness. Finish the plate with a precise sprinkling of Lemon Zest Finishing Salt to wake up the entire palate.
9. DUNZO!