Heirloom Tomato Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing | Serves 4
It’s no secret that lemon brings out the flavor in everything including this heirloom tomato salad, magically blending together the sweet with the tart. Nothing is simpler or more beautiful than thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes, layered and combined with basil leaves and mozzarella. You don’t really need a recipe, but here is mine just in case.
Stir together a vinaigrette, pour over the tomatoes then allow the salad tomatoes to sit at room temperature for an hour to soak up and release the natural juices. Make more than you think will need, because the leftovers get even better the next day, especially on a sandwich. Shown here are my favorites: Big Rainbow, Persimmon, Green Zebra, and Purple Cherokee, scattered with fine shreds of lemon basil. Bake a batch of bruschetta and serve for an appetizer or side salad.
6 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, three different colors
8 fresh sweet basil leaves
8 fresh lemon basil leaves
1/2 pound freshly made mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Coarse sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bruschetta (see below)
Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. In a shallow dish with a 1-inch rim, arrange the rounds, slightly overlapping, in a single layer. Chiffonade the basil and scatter over the top. Thinly slice the mozzarella and insert pieces in between the tomatoes. Whisk together the olive oil and the lemon juice, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing evenly over the tomatoes, cover loosely, and let stand at room temperature to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Serve with warm bruschetta.
Bruschetta |Makes 24 small slices
1/2 loaf baguette or Tuscan bread
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Cut the baguette or bread on a diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Using a pastry brush, coat one side of each slice with olive oil. Place the slices on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Position a rack at the top of the oven, and place the cooking sheet on the rack. Toast for 5 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven. With a sharp knife, score each slice 3 times. Rub the garlic on the slices and brush with more olive oil on each slice.
