Cherry Tomato Salads

This canapé is a miniaturised version of one of our favourite Jennifer Joyce starters. She piles the delicious tomato salad onto slices of thick sourdough bread that have been toasted and spread with creamy goats cheese. We just love this starter, it is quick, easy and bursting with flavour and the baby sized canapé is just as tasty in one mouthful.

Ingredients - makes 20

20 cherry tomatoes

3 tbsp creamy goats cheese (or cream cheese)

1 shallot, finely chopped

Dressing

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1tbsp chopped mint

1 tsp capers, drained and chopped

1/2 tsp caster sugar

Method

Cut the tops off the tomatoes (the non stalk end). Carefully scoop out the seeds and the tough centre part. Leave the tomatoes to drain, cut side down on kitchen paper, for an hour or so.

Sprinkle a few pieces of the chopped shallot inside each tomato. Add approximately 1/2 a small coffee spoonful of dressing.

Pipe or spoon the goats or cream cheese to fill up the tomatoes. Tuck a small mint leaf in the top.

Keep in a cool place until ready to serve.

The dressing can be made several hours ahead. The tomatoes can be scooped out several hours in advance and stored in the fridge, cut side down on damp kitchen towel. The completed tomatoes can be made 2 or 3 hours before serving.

For a starter version for 4: Make the dressing as above, but multiply everything by 3. Roughly chop approximately 250g ripe tomatoes and mix with 2 small chopped shallots. Mix in the dressing. Spread toasted sourdough(or a gluten free bread) with creamy goats cheese and pile the tomato salad on top.