Warm Tomato, Onion and Bread Salad with Beef Dripping Dressing

This makes great use of leftover beef dripping, a flavour that takes me right back to my childhood. Tomatoes and beef are a classic combination, and this is a British version of the great Italian salad, panzanella, intended to use up stale bread. Here, I add a beef flavour from the dripping to give this blokey salad a super meaty taste without having any meat. This is a tomato salad that has all the flavours that everybody knows, but every element has been enhanced to lift it to a new level. It’s a great light summer lunch or side for a barbecue – I like to serve it with my Barbecued Short Rib of Beef, British Style.

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 4

2 red onions, peeled

rapeseed oil

1/2 loaf of sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized chunks

150g beef dripping, melted

1kg mixed heritage tomatoes, all roughly chopped the same size

1 white onion, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves

2 tablespoons sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons onion seeds, toasted

salt and pepper, to taste

For the beef dripping dressing

150g beef dripping

4 tablespoons chopped chives

4 tablespoons chopped spring onion, green parts only

rapeseed oil

3 tablespoons Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar

METHOD

1: Preheat the oven at 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

2: Trim the root ends of the red onions, then cut them into 1/2cm wedges, but keep them attached at the root ends so they don’t fall apart. Drizzle them with a little rapeseed oil and place in a small roasting tray. Place the tray in the oven and roast the onions for 10–15 minutes, until tender and caramelised.

3: Place the bread in another roasting tray and drizzle with 150g of the beef dripping. Add the tray to the oven and toast the bread for 6–8 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.

4: Season straight away when the croûtons come out of the oven so they absorb the flavour as they cool. You can toast the bread while you are roasting the red onions.

5: Do not turn the oven off.

6: Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, white onion and lemon thyme leaves in a large non-metallic bowl. Add the sea salt flakes and mix thoroughly. Leave to one side for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down and you see a lot of water in the bowl.

7: Drain the tomato mix in a colander, then tip the tomatoes and onion seeds into a baking tray. Place the tray in the oven and roast the tomato mix for 1–2 minutes just to warm through.

To make the beef dripping dressing

8: Melt 150g beef dripping in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the chives and spring onion and stir for just 30 seconds to warm through. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

9: Tip the warm tomato mix into a large bowl. Add the onion seeds, crusty beef-flavoured croûtons and the roasted red onions. Add the beef dripping dressing, gently toss together and serve immediately.

Share this Recipe

[print-me target="body"]

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 4

2 red onions, peeled

rapeseed oil

1/2 loaf of sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized chunks

150g beef dripping, melted

1kg mixed heritage tomatoes, all roughly chopped the same size

1 white onion, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves

2 tablespoons sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons onion seeds, toasted

salt and pepper, to taste

For the beef dripping dressing

150g beef dripping

4 tablespoons chopped chives

4 tablespoons chopped spring onion, green parts only

rapeseed oil

3 tablespoons Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar

METHOD

1: Preheat the oven at 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

3: Place the bread in another roasting tray and drizzle with 150g of the beef dripping. Add the tray to the oven and toast the bread for 6–8 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.

4: Season straight away when the croûtons come out of the oven so they absorb the flavour as they cool. You can toast the bread while you are roasting the red onions.

5: Do not turn the oven off.

7: Drain the tomato mix in a colander, then tip the tomatoes and onion seeds into a baking tray. Place the tray in the oven and roast the tomato mix for 1–2 minutes just to warm through.

To make the beef dripping dressing

Share this Recipe