How to make Sergio Herman’s cherry tomatoes

In his new cookbook Colorful Cooking, Sergio Herman shares his love of cooking, family and travel. With recipes full of explosive flavours and colours, he inspires you to step into the kitchen with simple ingredients and a touch of boldness. His motto: no rules, just pure cooking pleasure! We previously shared his ultimate grilled cheese sandwich; this time, we’re revealing his secret for the most delicious cherry tomatoes.

Sergio: “Peeling the tomatoes takes some effort, but it’s worth it to enjoy these little flavour bombs throughout the winter.“

• Make a small incision in the top of the tomatoes. Dip them in boiling water for 4 to 5 seconds, then immediately cool them in ice water. You can now easily remove the skins by hand.
• Pat the peeled tomatoes dry with kitchen paper.
• Put the tomatoes in a bowl with the sushi vinegar, red wine vinegar, pickled mustard seeds, coriander seeds, sweet onion, basil and thyme. Season with fleur de sel and leave to marinate for at least 3 hours.
• Serve the tomatoes in a beautiful tall glass or large bowl. 

TIP! Store the marinated tomatoes in a sealed jar or container in the refrigerator; they will keep for up to 2 weeks. They are delicious with, for example, a salad.

Basic recipe for pickled mustard seeds

Makes approx. 70 grams

• 50 grams yellow mustard seeds
• 100 ml sushi vinegar

You will also need

• sterilised jar with lid, approx. 100 ml capacity

Put the mustard seeds in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain the mustard seeds as soon as the water boils and cover them again with cold water. Repeat this step once more and cook the mustard seeds until tender; this takes about 45 minutes. This removes the bitterness from the mustard seeds. Drain through a fine sieve and leave to drain thoroughly. Spoon the mustard seeds into a sterilised jar and pour the sushi vinegar over them, making sure all the seeds are submerged. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Store the pickled mustard seeds in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.