Serves 6 – 8
INGREDIENTS
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 lb bocconcini
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 pints light beer, Pilsner or lager, divided
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh basil
INSTRUCTIONS
- To prepare the dipping sauce, heat the oven to 425° F. Toss the garlic in the olive oil and then fold the cloves into a pouch of aluminum foil. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the garlic is brown. When done, transfer the contents to a bowl and mash to a paste. Add the mayo, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate the sauce until it is needed.
- Place the tomatoes and bocconcini balls in separate bowls. Add ½ cup of the flour to each bowl and toss, making sure the cheese and tomatoes are covered. In another bowl, add the remaining flour and slowly pour in the beer.
- Heat a deep-fryer or oiled wok to 350° F. Dip the flour-covered tomatoes in the beer batter, and immediately place them in the fryer, three at a time. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are golden brown. Do the same for the cheese, also three at a time.
- Place a leaf of fresh basil underneath the balls of tomato and cheese as you plate them. Wrap the basil leaves around the balls before you dip them in the sauce. Give them a light salting and drizzle of olive oil before dipping.
As seen in the hit summer movie Chef, street food has come a long way since the hotdog stand. Now you can take the best of it into your own kitchen with this book from Matt Basile, who owns a Toronto food truck, the Fidel Gastro, and stars on TV’s Rebel Without a Kitchen. More than 85 street-inspired recipes are organized into fun chapters such as “stuff in buns,” “perfectly fly for a fry guy” and “I love bacon.” – Chris Daniels
