Tomato garnishes.—Tomatoes may be used in
various ways for garnish. For instance, choose small
ones, cut a slice off the stalk end, and with a silver
spoon scoop out the pips, and a little of the pulp,
then press back the flesh with the bowl of the spoon,
season the inside lightly with pepper, a very little
salt, oil, and a few drops of tarragon vinegar, minced
parsley, and, if liked, chives, then fill up the centre
with any nice mayonnaise to taste, putting on the
top an olive stuffed with anchovy butter or a rolled
anchovy fillet. These make an excellent garnish
for cold roast meat. If larger tomatoes are used
they may be scalded, peeled, and halved, the inner
side being treated as above, and then filled up with
any dainty salading to taste. For instance, with
cold fowl, or a chaufroix of lamb cutlets, prepare
the tomatoes thus, then fill them with asparagus
points or young green peas tossed in mayonnaise
sauce, and, if liked, set a plover’s egg or a cube of
foie gras truffé on the top of each. This last is, of
course, not indispensable. Or a plain lettuce salad
only, seasoned with a vinaigrette dressing, is very
effective served in this way. With cold game, fill up
with a mushroom salad. Another pretty garnish may
be made by cutting small unpeeled tomatoes with
a sharp knife into sections the shape and size of the
divisions of an orange, seasoning these with oil,
tarragon vinegar, freshly-ground black pepper, salt,
and minced-parsley, or green tarragon and chervil.
These can be used alone or in a salad. Mind that
for this the tomatoes are not over ripe or soft, or
the appearance of the garnish will be spoilt. Some
cooks fry such sections and serve them hot, dusted
with pepper and salt, piled up as an accompaniment
to roast mutton, etc.