Recipe courtesy of Michael Chiarello

Sliced Heirloom Tomato Stack with Blue Cheese

Name: Sliced Heirloom Tomato Stack with Blue Cheese
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H45M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 2 cups buttermilk; 2 cups Arborio Rice coating, recipe follows; 6 red onions, thickly sliced, loosely separated into rings; 8 cups peanut oil; 4 vine-ripened tomatoes; Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper; Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle; 1/2 cup basil leaves, julienne; Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle; 1 cup crumbled blue cheese, frozen; Onion Rings:; 1 cup Arborio rice; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup semolina; 2 tablespoons table salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Level: Intermediate
Total: 45 min

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 15 min

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

Onion Rings:

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups Arborio Rice coating, recipe follows

6 red onions, thickly sliced, loosely separated into rings

8 cups peanut oil

Tomato Stack:

4 vine-ripened tomatoes

Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle

1/2 cup basil leaves, julienne

Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

1 cup crumbled blue cheese, frozen

Onion Rings:

Arborio Rice Coating:

1 cup Arborio rice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semolina

2 tablespoons table salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl spread out the rice coating. Take onion rings and coat with buttermilk, and then cover with coating, shaking off excess. Place coated rings on a tray.
In a large deep saucepan, heat peanut oil to 375 degrees F. With a slotted wire spoon, carefully lower the coated rings into pan to fry. Do the rings in small batches to allow oil to remain a consistent temperature. Place fried rings on a paper towel on a tray to dry.
Tomato Stack:
Cut a small slice from the bottom of the tomatoes - enough so that they will stand. Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 2 or 3), leaving the stem on top.
Season the slices with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with olive oil.
Place the basil leaves in between the tomato slices, and re-stack tomato. Serve re-stacked tomatoes around a larger stack of onion rings in center of a large serving plate. Drizzle more olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Grate the frozen blue cheese over top.

Arborio Rice Coating:

Grind the rice in a blender until very fine. Put it in a bowl and add the all-purpose flour, semolina, salt and pepper. Toss until well blended. Store in a sealed container in the freezer for maximum freshness.