WINTER TOMATO TOAST WITH SMOKED SPRATS & WILD GARLIC WITH NICK COATES

“These tomatoes are amazing to eat as they are, and I think adding a curing process just helps bring out the flavours and the hidden properties of the fruit even more.”

Marinda Winter tomatoes take centre stage in this dish. Cultivated by Sebastiano in Pachino, Sicily, this variety offers a whole new experience compared to the summer fruits we're typically familiar with. Medium sized and deeply rigid, Marinda are tart and salty, but with a balancing sweetness in their firm, almost crunchy flesh.

In this recipe, Nick carefully cures the Marinda with sugar and salt, enhancing the natural flavours – making them the perfect topping for Alma or Milk Run sourdough toast. The addition of smoked sprats introduces a satisfying depth, while the wild garlic gremolata adds a refreshing burst of herbal brightness that cuts through the richness of the dish.

WINTER TOMATO TOAST WITH SMOKED SPRATS & WILD GARLIC GREMOLATA

INGREDIENTS

250g Marinda Winter Tomato
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
50g flat-leaf parsley
50g Wild Garlic
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp preserved lemon, finely diced
50ml olive oil
Pinch of Blackthorn salt
2 slices of Alma or Milk Run sourdough bread
2-3 smoked sprats in oil
Handful of Cornish Little Leaves

METHOD

1. Wash and slice the tomatoes into rounds roughly half a centimeter thick. Then, set them aside.
2. Mix together the sugar and salt and sprinkle half the mix onto a flat tray.
3. Place the tomatoes on top, equally spaced out and not overlapping.
4. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar and salt on top and leave to cure for one hour at room temperature.
5. Next, remove any stalks from the parsley and wild garlic, finely chop the leaves and add to a bowl to create a gremolata garnish.
6. Remove a couple of pieces of the preserved lemon from the jar and give them a quick rinse in water to remove any excess salt.
7. Trim away the pulp from the rinds, finely dice, and add to the bowl.
8. Grate over the garlic clove and add the olive oil, then season. The oil should pool around the mixture and not be too dry.
9. To assemble, toast the thick cut slice of sourdough and drizzle with olive oil.
10. Remove any excess cure mix from the tomatoes and layer over the toast.
11. Place 2-3 smoked sprats on top of the tomatoes and drizzle over the garnish with fresh Cornish Little Leaves and serve.

What inspired you to become a chef?

I actually started off by going to art school. I went to Wimbledon College of Art to study sculpture, but just felt it wasn't for me. I've always been interested in food – I grew up in a family that was very food orientated and I learnt how to cook for my mum from a very early age. I worked from the bottom up!

How would you describe your cooking style?

I'm fascinated by Scandinavian techniques – curing, fermenting, pickling. I love seasonal produce, too, so I’m really interested in how food culture and the environment changes our outlook on food and how we should eat sustainably.

Talk us through the flavour combination of this recipe.

I mean, these tomatoes are amazing to eat as they are, and I think adding a curing process with sugar and salt just helps bring out the flavours and hidden properties of the fruit even more. It changes up the texture – they get super jammy.

Do you have a favourite season when it comes to cooking?

I really like winter produce. I think you have to try a little harder with ingredients this time of year. We can get very stuck with those same flavours of root vegetables, but you can find some incredible techniques to apply to humble ingredients. Right now, my favourite ingredient would be celeriac. You can do a lot with a celeriac.

Any secret spots for good food in London?

Beza, an Ethiopian restaurant in Elephant and Castle. There’s also a great Ecuadorian spot called Miko’s in that same area – meat heavy, barbeque, and live music. It’s great energy.