Bowls (similar) | Platter | Copper Candlestick (similar) | Taper Candles | Wooden Serving Utensils | Plaid Tablecloth (similar)
Late summer hits, and it’s like the world collectively moves on to fall. But there is still an abundance of tomatoes and bright greens at the market. And it’s actually the perfect time of year to be in the outdoor kitchen—no humidity, yes please—and grill up some chicken for dinner. This is the perfect side dish to use up some of those end-of-season tomatoes. It comes together in about 5 minutes, it’s fresh, and it’s full of flavor. This salad that is really all about the tomatoes, showing off those beautiful colors and juicy flavor, with some supporting characters to make them really sing.
Choose Your Tomatoes
You can use any beefy tomato for this dish, but since we can get some amazing heirloom tomatoes here in North Carolina, I’m using Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, Mr. Stripey, and Cherokee Green. You want to choose tomatoes that are firm with no bruises or soft spots. Since the puree is soft, it’s important that the tomatoes have some meaty texture to them.
Make the Puree
Glass Prep Bowls | White Bowls | Honey Pot (similar)
I made this puree loosely based on the idea of an olive tapenade, but I play with the ratios so that it’s not as olive-heavy and more centered on peppers and artichokes. I’m using Castelvetrano olives, which are my favorite olives. They have this saltiness and buttery flavor that’s just chef’s kiss. These go into a food processor along with roasted red (or yellow or orange) peppers. You can roast them yourself, but if you’re trying to keep this a quick recipe, go ahead and buy them jarred!
Next, we’ll add some artichokes marinated in olive oil. I give them a quick rough slice around the outer leaves to remove any fibrous parts that won’t break down. I tend to go with the Seggiano brand—they’re made in Tuscany, and they’re so delicious. To up the acidity, I zest one lemon and add the juice to the processor. That gets balanced out with some honey, my sweetener of choice, some olive oil, and some fresh ground black pepper. Blend it all up until pureed.
Prepare the Tomatoes
Gather about six tomatoes and cut out the stem and any drier areas around the stem. Slice them in half and then in quarters or thirds, depending on the size of the tomatoes, until they’re in half-moon shapes.
Assemble the Salad
Platter | Dish Towel | Wooden Serving Utensils | Plaid Tablecloth (similar)
The “dressing” of this salad is really the puree, but it’s more of a flavor dipping element than a coating. I spread the puree across the bottom of a serving platter and scatter handfuls of the tomatoes across the top, trying to vary the colors.
Scatter a few pumpkin seeds for texture across the top, and then we’ll add some greens on top. Again, the salad is really about the tomatoes, so I just sprinkle some sunflower sprouts and arugula leaves across just for a little flavor and color.
Take some chunks of chevre and add those evenly across the top. Finally drizzle some fruity olive oil across the top, grind a little cracked black pepper, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice, and sprinkle some flaky sea salt so that every tomato gets a little bit of salty crunch. I like that the salt comes in here—that’s why I didn’t salt the puree dressing.
Serve it up!
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This dish is a crazy crowd-pleaser. Every time I serve it, it’s gone. My kids love it too. The salad is super fresh, and the color is beautiful. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments.
