Tomato slices with cheese & garlic

Tomato slices with cheese & garlic. Russian cuisine
Tomato slices with cheese & garlic. Russian cuisine

I remember tomato slices with cheese and garlic on the table set for guests back in Russia when I was a teenager.  A simple set of foods for this lovely starter was usually present in every Russian household, even in deprived times of late Soviet Union.

Tomato, cheese and garlic starter recipe

Tomato, cheese and garlic starter recipe

Grated cheese with garlic and mayonnaise on top of tomato slices – quick, easy, healthy and tasty starter, appetizer, hors d’oeuvre

Total time:
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • Large ‘beef’ tomato – 1
  • Cheese grated – 1/3 cup
  • Garlic – 1 large clove
  • Mayonnaise – 1 tsp
  • Salt
  • Fresh herbs (optional)

You would need a really large summer tomato (‘beef’ home grown tomato is even better!). In the picture I am using my own French Super Marmande, rather small for the cultivar, I usually grow a plant or two in our green-house. These tomatoes have rich taste which go really well wish cheese and garlic.

My home grown tomatoes
My home grown tomatoes

As for the cheese to go with tomatoes, for this nice starter you can use any inexpensive cheese you have at home. Some mild cheddar would do as well as Swiss Emmental, Dutch Gouda or Norwegian Jarlsberg. But if you have a choice, I’ve noticed that sometimes a combination of cheeses gives an interesting twist to this tomato starter. So don’t be afraid to experiment! Once I added to cheddar some left over rather dried up Camembert and it was delicious!

Cheese, garlic and mayonnaise filling for tomatoes. Russian cuisine
Cheese, garlic and mayonnaise filling for tomatoes. Russian cuisine

Method

1. First make the cheese mix. Grate the cheese(s), press garlic and add a spoon or two of mayonnaise, just enough for the cheese mixture to stick together. Taste and add some salt if needed. If you have some fresh herbs you may finely chop them and add to the grated cheese.
2. Slice a tomato into pieces about 7 mm thick and arrange them on a serving plate.
3. With a tea spoon add some cheese mixture on top of every tomato slice.
4. Decorate the plate if you wish and serve right away. Enjoy as an appetizer, starter or a vegetable side!
Tomato slices with cheese & garlic. Russian cuisine
Tomato slices with cheese & garlic. Russian cuisine

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