What inspired me to make this tomato jelly was the need to prepare something healthy, with local ingredients, and because of my family’s cholesterol test results. It is ideal for a dinner with a big group because in can be made a day or two in advance, and it can make all our dining companions happy: it is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free….and light.
The xanthan gum is not essential, it is just a stabilizer and makes the colours more vivid, but it can also be a strong laxative if you overdo it, so be careful or avoid using it.
The addition of fennel and Sambuca liqueur is a touch of Rome, suggested by visiting Chef Fabio Campoli at the Florence Metro Academy.
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
For the yellow jelly
- 14 oz (400 g) yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1 oz (20 g) onion, finely minced
- Some wild fennel leaves
- 1 tbsp Sambuca (star anise liqueur)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch xanthan gum
- 1 tsp agar-agar
For the red jelly
- 14 oz (400 g) red cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 pinch chili pepper
- 1 tsp agar-agar
- 1 pinch xanthan gum
Instructions
In a saucepan, sauté the onion in the olive oil and add the yellow tomatoes when the onion is golden. Add salt, cook for 10 minutes and add the Sambuca and fennel. Add the agar-agar and the xanthan gum and mix carefully.
Wet 6 small moulds and pour the liquid into each of them through a sieve. Place the moulds in the fridge and let cool for an hour.
In another saucepan, sauté the garlic cloves in the olive oil. When they are golden, discard them and add the red tomatoes. Add the chili pepper, season with salt, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the agar-agar and the xanthan gum and mix carefully. Remove the moulds from the fridge, Pour the liquid into each mould through a sieve and put back in the fridge.