Josh says: This is such a simple recipe that depends entirely on the quality of the tomato, so get the best quality that you can afford. I like to serve these with some chunky slices of bread, brushed with olive oil, rubbed with cut garlic and dusted with some chilli flakes before going under the grill to char. Some plain toasted bread, or even no bread at all, will also suffice.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the sumac dressing

100ml best quality extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp best-quality sherry vinegar
2 tsp sumac
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
Flaked sea salt

For the beef tomatoes

4 beef tomatoes, or other best-quality summer tomatoes of choice
2 small shallots, finely chopped
Handful of picked marjoram or oregano leaves
Handful of picked tarragon leaves
4-8 slices of sourdough, grilled or toasted (optional)
Flaked sea salt and ground black pepper

Method

For the sumac dressing, whisk the olive oil, sherry vinegar, sumac, pomegranate molasses and sugar in a small bowl, then stir the garlic through and season with salt. Set aside to infuse for 15-20 minutes and store until required.

For the beef tomatoes, set a deep saucepan of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Use a knife to make a small cross at the base of each tomato and blanch in the pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer immediately to a bowl filled with iced water, to stop the cooking process. Peel the tomatoes and slice horizontally into 1cm rounds.

Lay the tomatoes out slightly overlapping on a serving platter, season liberally with flaked salt and black pepper, and drizzle with the sumac dressing. Top the tomatoes with the chopped shallots.

Throw the marjoram or oregano and tarragon leaves all over the top, and serve alongside the grilled or toasted sourdough bread if you like.

Berber & Q On Vegetables: 3 no-cook side dishes for an alfresco lunch