An authentic French bistro staple: a mild tomme gently cold-smoked, served at cellar temperature alongside rustic country bread, cornichons, and dressed greens.
Ingredients
- 600 g raw milk tomme de Savoie, young and mildly aged
- 80 g food-grade beechwood smoking chips
- 8 slices sourdough country bread
- 120 g French cornichons in vinegar
- 120 g baby salad greens
- 2 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- to taste fine salt
- to taste whole black peppercorns
Method
- Remove the tomme from the refrigerator and pat it dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel to remove any surface moisture. Let it dry and come up to temperature uncovered for 30 minutes in a cool room under 18 °C (64 °F), until the rind is completely matte and dry to the touch.
- Set up the smoker: fill the cold smoke generator with the beechwood smoking chips. Light the sawdust with a kitchen torch for 1 minute until you have a steady glowing ember with no open flame, producing a light, steady, bluish smoke.
- Place the tomme on the wire rack of the smoker or closed grill at least 25 cm (10 inches) away from the heat source. Insert a thermometer into the chamber: the air temperature must strictly stay below 22 °C (72 °F) to keep the milk fats from melting.
- Cold smoke for 45 minutes while maintaining a steady flow of light smoke.
- Briefly open the chamber, gently flip the tomme with a spatula, then close and continue cold smoking below 22 °C (72 °F) for another 45 minutes (90 minutes of total smoking time), until the rind takes on a light golden hue and a clean, woody aroma.
- Remove the tomme from the smoker, wrap it loosely in parchment paper, and refrigerate between 4 °C and 6 °C (39 °F to 43 °F) for a minimum resting time of 12 hours to harmonize the flavors and dissipate any surface bitterness.
- During the final rest, toast the slices of country bread in a toaster or under the oven broiler at 200 °C (400 °F) for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on the surface.
- Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, walnut oil, a pinch of fine salt, and a grind of black pepper for 1 minute until glossy and emulsified.
- Gently toss the baby greens with the vinaigrette just before serving for 30 seconds to coat them evenly without wilting.
- Remove the tomme from the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving to bring it to about 15 °C (60 °F). Slice it into even pieces about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick and arrange immediately with the warm toasted bread, drained cornichons, and dressed salad.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 732.5 kcal
- Protein
- 38.98 g
- Carbohydrate
- 36.42 g
- Fat
- 47.6 g
- Fibre
- 3.87 g
- Calcium
- 19.38 mg
- Iron
- 1.04 mg
- Magnesium
- 15.73 mg
