Directions:

Core the tomatoes and make an X shaped cut in the skin on the bottom of the tomatoes. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 1 minute. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place them directly into a bowl of ice water to shock the tomatoes into cooling. Peel the skin from the tomatoes, cut them in half, and squeeze the seeds from the tomatoes. Dice the tomatoes into ¼ inch cubes. Place tomatoes onto a sheep pan on a cold oven rack. Soak apple wood chips in warm water for 10 minutes.

Remove wood chips from the water and place them into a disposable aluminum pie tin. Make sure your oven hood is on and your windows are open. Using a culinary blow torch, light the wood chips until they are well smoking embers. Place the chips in the oven on the bottom of the oven with the tomatoes. Close the oven door and and allow the tomatoes to absorb smoke for ten minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and place them in a refrigerator to cool. Once they are cold, place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl. Combine the tomatoes with the capers, EVO, champagne vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Set the tomatoes aside for later use.

Cut the avocadoes in half around the pit. Twist the avocadoes to split the two halves and expose the pit. Using a chef’s knife, with a swift motion impale the pit so that the knife is stuck in the pit. Twist the knife to remove the pit from the second half of the avocado. Using a large spoon, remove the skin from the avocado. Dice the flesh of the avocado into ¼ inch cube. Season the avocado with salt and pepper. Place ¼ of the diced avocado in a ring mold on a plate. Press the avocado flat. Add ¼ of the reserved tomato into the ring mold on top of the avocado and press it flat. Cut a few round slices of the Meyer lemon, approximately 1/8 inch thick.

Using a culinary blow torch, brulee the slices of lemon until there is carmaelization apparent. Place the lemon slice, brulee side up on top of the tomato. Remove the ring mold carefully from the tomato and avocado so they maintain their shape. Squeeze the remaining Meyer lemon juice around the tomato and avocado. Drizzle the avocado oil lightly around the tomato and avocado. Serves four.

Ingredients:

4 each Roma Tomatoes
1 Cup Apple Wood Chips
1 Tbs Capers
1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp Champagne Vinegar
2 each Avocados, ripe
2 each Meyer Lemon
1 Tbs Avocado Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste