Goats' cheese, pinenut and oven-roasted tomato charlotte

This is a recipe from Cafe Paradiso, by Denis Cotter. He runs a restaurant in Cork, Ireland, and is inspired in his combinations of flavours. I have indicated the things I alter in this recipe, but included the original recipe, as requested by a recent guest to Michael House.

for 6

6 beef tomatoes - or any ripe tomatoes, but more of them!
olive oil
6 cloves of garlic - I use less, this is a lot!
450g goats cheese - I use less, can be soft sort or hard, nice with the hard version
200g cream cheese - I use Philadelphia
2 eggs
3 egg whites
100-150g single cream
50g pinenuts, lightly toasted
basil, fresh
black pepper
100g puy lentils - I often do not do this part
1 red onion
120mls basil oil, don't even know what this is, unless you just mix oil with basil and let it sit around for a while!
wilted greens - again, never use this, but the dish is very rich, so does need simple vegetables with it

roast the tomatoes - cut into thick slices (he says remove the seeds, I never do!). Oil some trays, lightly oil the slices of tomato with olive oil, roast on medium oven for approx 45 - 50 mins. should be a bit dried out when done, but not completely, with some blackened bits, caramelised.

put cheeses, garlic and whole eggs in food processor, whizz to smooth puree, add egg whites one at a times with motor running. transfer to a bowl and add enough cream to give thick pouring consistency. stir in pinenuts and basil.

preheat oven to 190c. lightly oil six ramekins or dariel bowls and place a little piece of greaseproof paper in each, and place in a large ovenproof dish. put a tomato slice in, then some of the custard, then tomato, and finish with custard. half fill the big dish with hot water and place the whole thing in the oven for around 40 minutes. run a knife around the bowls to help with removal.

for the lentils, which do go very well with the dish, soak if you wish then boil them until tender, mix with red onion chopped up and basil oil. serve with the charlottes. yum.