Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Heirloom Tomato Salad

There is nothing better than a fresh, simple salad for dinner on a nice warm day. I got off work yesterday and ventured into Whole Foods and came upon these delicious heirloom tomatoes and knew immediately that I needed to have them for dinner. I added some fresh herbs, mozzarella cheese, and home made croutons, it was delicious! I can't wait to have the left overs for lunch today.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

1 Small Loaf Crusty French Bread
2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, divided
1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, chopped
3 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Large Heirloom Tomatoes
3 Regular Red Tomatoes
1 Pound Small Mozzarella Cheese Balls

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Cut the crust off the bread and tear the remaining loaf into 1-inch pieces. Toss with 1/3 cup of the olive oil, squeezing the bread to help absorb the oil. Sprinkle lightly with a bit of salt, and place on a baking sheet. Toast stirring a few times until the croutons are golden brown, about 15 minutes, let cool.
Using a wooden spoon or muddler, pound the oregano and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl to release the oils from the herb. Add the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, salt, vinegar and basil and whisk to combine.
Stem and chop tomatoes into large pieces and add to the vinegar mixture. Cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces, if necessary, and add to the tomato mixture, stir well to combine. Let rest for about 15 minutes to let flavors meld together, stir again. Serve in a bowl with the fresh croutons.

4 comments:

  1. Ooh! Heirloom tomatoes make everything better. This salad looks beautiful and so fresh. I can't wait to try this!

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  2. best of use of fresh tomatoes! love all the different colors too.

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  3. Another one healthy salad! I'll definitely love this! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. All that mozzarella cheese is obviously the secret! Love the recipe.

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