Shio Koji Tomato Butter

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In the summer I like to buy flats of tomatoes from local farms and then spend the next few days in the kitchen transforming them. Holding a sturdy cardboard box of these heirloom jewels makes me feel rich. If you can, use dry farmed tomatoes for this recipe. Dry farming is when watering and irrigation is discontinued once the plants become established. The result? A brilliant water saving measure AND the most flavorful tomatoes you will ever have the pleasure of putting into your mouth. Dry farming is easier done in places that have rainfall patterns like California: a rainy winter and a precipitation free summer. So if you aren’t able to easily acquire these gems, don’t fret. The best tomatoes are still the ones that grow closest to you.

Shio koji is a salty, umami packed paste made from salt, water and, of course, koji. Koji is a brilliant Japanese ingredient that is made when a grain, usually rice, has been inoculated with the fungus Aspergillus oryzae and left to ferment for a few days. The fungus slowly digests both the proteins and the starches in the grain which results in a both a higher level of sugar and a higher level of free amino acids. The star amino acid is glutamic acid, which imparts savoriness to foods. Have you ever wondered what MSG, the darling of the packaged food world, stands for? Monosodium glutamate. Basically it is an isolated and refined form of what we are tasting when we eat Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and miso.

This is one recipe that is a bit labor intensive but a little goes a long way and I promise that you will thank yourself when you are able to doctor up your soups, pastas and beans with a spoonful of this tangy, umamilicious concentrate. 

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