Artichoke hearts with frozen tomato mousse and tomato confit - Artischockenböden mit geeistem Tomatenmousse und confierten Tomaten

2 large artichokes

6 medium-sized tomatoes

4 Tbs. olive oil

6-8 rosemary sprigs

2 cloves of garlic

50 ml Noilly Prat

100 ml soja milk

1 tsp. agar agar

Fleur de sel, white pepper, chili powder

Cut the skin of the tomatoes crosswise. Put them in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. After a few seconds (5-10), put the tomatoes in cold water. Peel off the skin. Cut them in quarters, take out the seeds and cut the flesh in cubes of about 1/3 inch. 

Put half of them in an oven-proof bowl, cover with olive oil, add rosemary twigs and garlic cloves (unpeeled is ok). Place the bowl in the oven at about  80°C for some 3-4 h.

Put the other half of the tomatoes in a pan, blend, bring to a cook, deglaze with Noilly Prat, add soja milk and agar agar and cook according to instructions (ca. 2 min). Add salt, pepper and chili powder. Let it cool down and put in the freezer for at least 4 h.

Cook the artichokes for 35-40 min. Cut off the stem and the non-edible parts and the outer petals (you can eat the fleshy ends of the petals with a dip). Discard the fuzzy inner part. Pour some oil on the artichoke hearts to avoid them getting dark.

To serve take out the “tomato ice cream” 10-15 min before eating. Arrange the artichoke hearts on a plate, put the ice cream on top, sprinkle with the tomato confit. Decorate with rosemary sprigs and fleur de sel.