Triple Tomato Salad.

and just like that, the newsletter is reborn...

Welcome back everyone, thanks for sticking with me OR thanks for signing up- I’m so happy to have you along for the ride that this newsletter has become!

We’ve got a new home over here on Substack, but the content remains the same…This is first and foremost a place for recipes, but also where I can dish out expertise on the only thing I truly know about- feeding your friends. I hope that You Bring The Wine either remains, or becomes, your ultimate tool kit.  

So what’s the format?

Recipes, PLUS when and why you’re going to want to be cooking them. These recipes become the sharpest tools when they’re teamed with the knowledge of when to use them (the why is just me selling them to you really). At its core, this is really so that when that moment arises, whenever it might be, you can be like *lightbulb* “this is the perfect occasion to make that dish!”… And then, zoom, it’ll be here for you, ready and waiting. I’m also covering how to make the recipes LOOK good; don’t get me wrong, the taste comes first, but let’s not pretend we’re not all shallow bitches that eat with our eyes.

Tips and tricks. This is a place where you can both learn to cook a little better and learn a hack that makes cooking for others easier- often the two come hand in hand. Either way, these nuggets are precious.

What I’m drinking. Your pals SHOULD be bringing the wine, but if you’re telling them what to bring, or grabbing some yourself, then I’ll try to give you some pointers on what you should go for. I’d like to stress here that I’m not a person that knows a ton about wine, but I know some people that do (they’ll be in here whenever I can get them) and I tend to kind of go with what they tell me plus a bit of knowing what I like. I’ll share what I’d grab, but if in doubt, tell the wine shop (or tell your friends to tell the wine shop) what you’re eating and they should come up with the goods.

The weekly. My round up of the best bits to purchase to make wherever you’re eating look 10/10, from the garden, to the table, to on the floor having a movie night. I promised a tool kit and these are the hammer to your ‘what-you’re-gonna-cook-for-them’ screwdriver.

Interviews with some great humans about how they feed their mates. Inspo for us all basically.

I’ll also try and cover bits and bobs as they arise; music, food products I love, random bits of advice I can dish out. Plus hopefully some fun deals.

So… let’s begin now.

SERVES 4

TIME: 15 MINS

Vibe: Easy peasy

Nice on the side: pastas, focaccia

I could have filled my book with tomato salads, but I held back and chose a couple that really hit the spot. This one is packed with cherry, chunky and semi-dried tomatoes. I like to serve the pecorino in big fat wedges, but feel free to shave it over the top if you prefer.

I wanted this guy on the cover, but then the watermelon and feta came in and stole and show, so there was a relegation, BUT I do really really love this salad. It’s so easy and makes every dinner look so special. I serve it with a whole roasted fish or a bbq spatchcocked chicken. You could also simply BBQ some sausages and provide a 10/10 meal.

If you’re a veggie: use a veggie hard cheese

If you’re a vegan: use a vegan parmesan style cheese

GET AHEAD: Salt the tomatoes up to an hour in advance. Make the croutons and dressing in advance.

IF I was having a SALAD PARTY… I’d invite a courgette and white bean salad and a fennel and orzo number (they’re in the book)…

INGREDIENTS

450g fresh large tomatoes

300g cherry tomatoes  

200g sun dried or semi dried tomatoes  

100g pecorino, cut into triangles

Dressing

4 tbsp olive oil

1-2 lemons (depending on how juicy your lemons are)

Toppers

Sourdough croutons —> 250g bread, torn into 2-3cm chunks + 2tbsp olive oil

Handful of fresh basil

METHOD

1. Cut the large tomatoes into wedges. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Tip into a large mixing bowl, season generously with salt and set aside for whilst you make the rest of the salad. Salting the tomatoes removes some of their water and intensifies the flavour.

2. Make the croutons. Preheat the oven to 180C.160C fan. Spread the croutons out in a roasting tray, drizzle with oil and season generously with salt. Toss well, making sure the croutons are well coated with the oil. Roast for 10 - 15 mins, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool. Whisk up the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, season well.

3. Drain the salted tomatoes in a sieve and add to the large bowl of dressing– Add the semi dried or sun dried tomatoes to the bowl. Toss, then taste and season with extra salt if needs be. Tip onto a large plate. Cut the pecorino into triangle and tuck into the salad and top with the croutons and basil leaves. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil to serve.

Salting your tomatoes: the best advice I can give you.

Salt your tomatoes please. Give them half an hour if you can, but at least 10-15 mins: I swear, you’ll thank me for this. Then drain them- you can catch that tomatoey water in a little bowl, you could just drink it then and there (my bag) OR add an ice cube, add a shot of vodka, some tabasco, and knock it back- why not hey. You can also reduce it and then, once syrupy, add it to your salad dressing.

You can also simply abandon it, I will not judge, not one bit.

I like my tomato salads with a good bottle of something dry, crisp and white. I particularly like this guy, but if in doubt, tell whoever is serving that you’re having a big tomato salad and trust them to choose you something similar.

This is the space where I give you a cute little round up of the things that I have my beady eyes on this week. I whack them all on the website so you can click click click and purchase until your heart is content.

Next week… join me next week for another salad, plus all the usual suspects on here. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE.