INGREDIENTS
2–3 heirloom tomatoes
2 ripe but still firm nectarines, plums or peaches
Handful of saltbush, leaves picked
Pickled peppers (see below)
Pickled pepper juice
1 tbsp pickled onions or shallots, cut into thin rings
1 tsp/tbsp fermented chilli juice, homemade or bought (kimchi juice would also be delicious)
100–125g Goldstreet Jersey cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pickled peppers
2 red capsicums
300ml water
150ml vinegar
75g sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of chilli flakes
METHOD
1. To make the pickled peppers: heat the pickle liquid with the salt, sugar and chilli to a simmer then turn off. Core and cut the capsicums into strips or wedges and pour the hot liquor over the peppers and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate. Better after a week or two.
2. For the salad: in a small pot of frying oil at 180ºC, carefully fry the saltbush until crisp and drain on paper towel.
3. Core the tomatoes and slice into wedges, chunks or slices. Lay them out and lightly salt each piece. De-seed and cut the nectarine into wedges and slice the pickled peppers into strips – not too thin as you want the bite and crunch.
4. On the base of a shallow bowl or lipped plate, spoon some of the pickle liquor and a splash of olive oil around like Pro Hart. Arrange the tomatoes over the pool and intersect with the nectarines, peppers and onion rings.
5. In a small bowl, mix more of the liquor with the chilli juice, salt and olive oil to taste – make it spicy, fatty, so your taste buds tingle. Dress the salad with it, crumble the Jersey cheese over the top, scatter the fried saltbush and finish with more olive oil and sea salt.
6. Serve with a fork and spoon to mop up those juices, and a crusty baguette.