The Anchorage and Jianna chefs put their spin on summer tomato dishes

Friendly rivalry leads to flavorful results for these dueling chefs

The Anchorage, led by Chef Steve Zurkey, and Jianna, led by Chef Michael Kramer, have earned numerous awards, honors, and raves from customers. Most recently, the restaurants were two of just four that received the prestigious Michelin Guide Recommended status in the inaugural Michelin Guide American South.

Both chefs known for creating dishes that rely on refined technique while letting high-quality, local ingredients shine, so they eagerly signed on when we asked them to come up with a dish celebrating one of summer’s most prized ingredients: the tomato. 

The result? Two unforgettable dishes showcasing tomatoes in all of their mouthwatering forms: raw, marinated, roasted, slow-cooked into a savory jam. The chefs agree that while the dishes bring forth sophisticated flavors, the steps are perfectly suited to the home cook and can be easily replicated at home. 

“It’s very user-friendly,” Kramer says of his tomato tart tatin. “It’s putting a few things in the mixer, or putting a few things in a pot and reducing.”

“Really, it’s the quality of ingredients that is driving this dish,” Zurkey says of his tomato gazpacho with feta panna cotta. “There is some technique, but sometimes, if you set yourself up with quality ingredients, you have to do less.”

Another topic they agree on: admiration for each other. “I’m up for the challenge,” Kramer says. “But I think Steve is a force to be reckoned with. I need to be on my A-game.”

“I have a lot of respect for Chef Kramer and his establishment,” Zurkey adds. “People always ask me where I would go to eat in Grenville, and [Jianna] is always at the very top of my list.”

Read on for tomato tips, recipe tricks, and two masterful riffs on summer’s most popular produce. With dishes like these, everyone wins. 

Tomato tips

What types of tomatoes do you recommend? 

Kramer: It depends on the purpose. San Marzano is great for tomato sauce. But I love Brandywine or green zebra, or a yellow tomato. Cherry tomatoes have so much pop, and can just explode with sugar.

Zurkey: I agree, it depends on application. But I love grape tomatoes just off the vine; the tomato in its pure form. But something like a Cherokee purple can be really nice. 

How do you know when a tomato is ripe? 

Kramer: It should smell like a tomato. If they aren’t ripe, they won’t have that smell yet because the sugars haven’t come out. Even at the grocery store, the vine-ripened tomatoes will smell much better.

Zurkey: It should feel like you have to handle it delicately. If you pick up a tomato and it’s hard, that was picked too early. I want vine-ripe; a tomato that feels like if you cut it with a dull knife, it will splatter. 

Any tips or tricks to help the home cook with your dish? 

Kramer: It’s pretty simple. Peeling the tomato is optional, though I like to do it for this dish. You just score the bottom, take the core out, and drop it into boiling water for 30 seconds. Then the skin will come right off. Also, you can cook the puff pastry with the tomato, but it’s crunchier if you bake that separately and then punch out circles. 

Zurkey: I’ll give the same tips I always give: One, drink a lot of wine. Then, throw away your iodized salt and get Diamond Crystal kosher salt. And use a nice olive oil. Olive oil oxidizes like wine, so if it’s been in your cabinet oxidizing, it won’t have the same fresh flavor. Finally, go buy fresh tomatoes in season from a local farmer. 

Top tomato memory

“I grew up in the country, and my mom grew tomatoes. There was nothing like a tomato, fresh off the vine and warm from the sun. It evokes nostalgia for me, so summer is a special time of year to experience that.” —Steve Zurkey, chef at The Anchorage

Tomato sandwich recommendation

“Less is more. Fresh tomato, Duke’s mayo, salt and pepper. If you’d like, you could add lettuce, or sometimes cheese is nice.” —Michael Kramer, chef at Jianna

Recipe by Chef Steve Zurkey | The Anchorage

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with Marinated Tomato Salad and Feta Cheese Panna Cotta

Split Creek Feta Panna Cotta

• 1 ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 3 sheets gelatin, bloomed in ice water
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup Split Creek feta, divided in 2 equal portions

Instructions

1. Place the gelatin sheets in ice water to bloom while you prepare the other components.
2. Combine the cream, sugar, and salt in a pot, bring to just a simmer then remove from heat immediately.
3. Drain and squeeze dry the gelatin sheets, then whisk them into the hot cream until dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Place half the feta in a blender with the buttermilk and lemon juice and blend until smooth.
5. Once the cream is room temperature, fold in the crumbled feta and the blended buttermilk-feta mixture and mix thoroughly.
6. Pour into desired mold or vessel, and refrigerate 2 hours or until fully set.

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

• 2 cups yellow tomato, diced (½ inch)
• ½ ea yellow bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2  basil leaves, crushed
• 4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 1½ cup good-quality olive oil
• 1 tsp Kosher salt or sea salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper, ground
• 2 Tbsp Aji Amarillo paste (optional; this Peruvian chile paste is available in many stores including Wal-Mart and Target)

Instructions

1. Place ingredients in a glass bowl or container and refrigerate 1-2 days.
2. Allow to come to room temperature.  
3. Blend on high until as smooth as possible. If desired, strain through a fine mesh for a smoother consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Marinated Grape Tomatoes

• 1 cup grape tomato, concasse (blistered and peeled as outlined below)
• 1 Meyer lemon or lemon, zest and juice
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup avocado oil
• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp agave nectar

Instructions

1. To concasse the tomatoes, you have two options: A) Drop the tomatoes into hot oil (350°F) and wait for the skins to rupture. Be careful of oil splatter. Remove the tomatoes immediately and carefully, then chill right away. Peel off the skins.  B) Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop the tomatoes in. Wait 1-2 minutes or until the skin bursts or loosens. Remove and drop the tomatoes into ice water. Remove skins.
2. Place the lemon juice and zest, agave, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a blender. On low speed slowly stream in both oils until emulsified
3. Pour over the peeled tomatoes and allow to marinate overnight.

Roasted Heirloom Tomato

• 4 thick slices of heirloom tomato such as Cherokee purple
• Pinch kosher or sea salt
• Pinch organic cane sugar
• Pinch black pepper

Instructions

1. Sprinkle the thick slices of tomato evenly with the seasonings.
2. Place on a resting rack and bake at 250°F for 45-1 hour minutes, or until mostly dehydrated.

Basil Oil

• 1 cup olive oil
• 12-14 basil leaves

Instructions

1. Blend the basil and oil on high as smooth as possible.  
2. Place in a double boiler (a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water) and heat to 170°F.
3. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 1 hour.
4. Strain through a coffee filter.

Final preparation

• 4 oz yellow tomato gazpacho
• 1 slice roasted heirloom tomato
• 3-5 marinated grape tomato (plus 1 tsp of the lemon vinaigrette marinade)
• 2 cherry tomato, 1/8” thick circles
• 2 Tbsp blanched green peas
• Feta Panna Cotta
• Basil Oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the gazpacho in a bowl. Lay the sliced heirloom tomato just slightly off center.
2. Toss the marinated grape tomato, sliced cherry tomato, and green peas with a pinch of salt and the lemon vinaigrette marinade from the grape tomatoes.  
3. Arrange the tomato and pea salad on and next to the roasted heirloom tomato.
4. Place the feta panna cotta on top of the roasted heirloom tomato.
5. Crack black pepper on top of the panna cotta.
6. Drizzle the basil oil around the gazpacho. Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
7. Garnish with whatever you like, such as pea vines, ripped basil, or mint.  Enjoy!

Recipe by Chef Michael Kramer | Jianna

Tomato Tart Tatin with Whipped Fromage, Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Tomato Conserva 

Serves 4 

For The Puff Pastry 

• 1 small sheet puff pastry 
• 1 egg, cracked and mixed well 

For The Tomato Tatin 

• 4 vine-ripe tomatoes, cored and peeled 
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup sherry wine vinegar 
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar 

For the Tomato Conserva 

• 4 cups grape tomatoes cut in half lengthwise 
• 1 small yellow onion, small dice
• ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar 
• 1 tsp kosher salt 
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

For The Whipped Fromage  

• 8 oz ricotta 
• 4 oz mascarpone 
• 2 oz goat cheese 
• 1 Tbsp honey 
• Kosher salt 

For the garnish 

• 2 oz arugula 
• 2 oz frisee lettuce 
• 2 oz radicchio 
• 1 small fennel bulb thinly shaved 
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• Coarse sea salt 
• Good aged balsamic vinegar 

For the Puff Pastry 

Set oven to 350° with a low fan.

Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next using a docker or a fork, dock or prick the pastry well with small holes to prevent the pastry from rising.  

Brush the puff pastry with the egg to coat well. Place another piece of parchment on top of the puff pastry and place an additional cookie sheet on top. This will help keep the pastry flat. Bake for 15 until golden brown. Remove from the oven, remove top cookie sheet, and using a 2-inch ring cutter, cut 2-inch rounds. Set aside and let cool. 

For the Tomatoes 

In a small pot, add the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by 70%. Using a 4-ounce ramekin, place about a tablespoon of the vinegar mixture on the bottom. Place the tomato top-side down in the container and place ramekins on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook until the tomato begins to turn soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. 

For the Whipped Fromage 

In a bowl of a  standing mixer add the ricotta, mascarpone, goat cheese, and honey and whip well on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt and set aside. 

For the Tomato Conserva 

In a small, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat add the tomatoes, onion, vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and turn to low heat and gently simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes until almost all the liquid has cooked out. Make sure to stir so the mixture does not stick to the pot. Remove from heat and cool. 

Final Preparation

Place 4 tomatoes in the oven for 5 minutes until just barely warm. Remove from the oven. In a small mixing bowl, add the arugula, frisee, radicchio, shaved fennel, and olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the whipped ricotta on the plate and add a small amount of tomato conserva to the plate. Then place the puff pastry disk on the plate.  Place a tomato on top of the puff pastry disk. Garnish each tomato with a little coarse sea salt. Add some of the greens to each plate and drizzle some of the good aged balsamic vinegar around the plate.