Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil-Pesto Vinaigrette and Fresh Mozzarella
A beautiful twist on the classic Caprese salad!
Ingredients:
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into thick rounds
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thick rounds
Toasted pine nuts and freshly-chopped basil leaves (optional)
For basil-pesto vinaigrette:
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cups lightly packed basil
¼ cup shredded Grana-style cheese
3 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
â…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
2. On a serving platter, arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella cheese rounds in an alternating pattern. Drizzle with the pesto vinaigrette and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with additional toasted pine nuts and additional chopped basil as desired.
Summer Peach & Heirloom Tomato Salad
Incredibly fresh and light, this colorful salad is accented by a robust heirloom tomato vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
1-2 peaches, pitted, peeled and cut into wedges
1-2 heirloom tomatoes, trimmed of stems and cut into wedges
¼ cup thinly-sliced sweet onion
¼ cup fresh feta cheese
¼ fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
Grilled Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette (see recipe)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine peach and tomato slices with sliced onion in a large bowl. Toss with about ½ cup of the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and drizzle with more dressing and season with salt and pepper as desired.
2. Transfer to a serving platter and top salad with feta cheese crumbles and basil. Serve immediately.
Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Focaccia Bread Salad
The beauty of this summery salad is in its simplicity: Be sure to use good-quality olive oil and season generously!
Ingredients:
4 cups focaccia bread, cut into large cubes
2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
½ cup basil-infused olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
¼ cup freshly-crumbled chevre cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Toss the focaccia cubes with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Grill the bread cubes until lightly charred, turning frequently with tongs. (A grill basket works well for this if you have it; otherwise watch that you don’t lose the croutons down the grate!) Remove from the grill and reserve.
2. On a large platter, arrange the heirloom tomato slices and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped basil, feta and grilled bread croutons and drizzle with another swirl of olive oil and, if desired, balsamic vinegar as well.
Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Bread Panzanella
The beauty of this summery salad is in its simplicity: Be sure to use good-quality olive oil and season generously!
Ingredients:
4 cups Pain au Levain bread, cut into large cubes
2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
½ cup good-quality olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
¼ cup freshly-crumbled feta or goat cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Toss the bread cubes with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Grill the bread cubes until lightly charred, turning frequently with tongs. (A grill basket works well for this if you have it; otherwise watch that you don’t lose the croutons down the grate!) Remove from the grill and reserve.
2. On a large platter, arrange the heirloom tomato slices and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped basil, cheese and grilled bread croutons and drizzle with another swirl of olive oil and, if desired, balsamic vinegar as well.
Variation: If you can find it, this salad is amazing topped with burrata cheese instead of the crumbled soft cheese!
Summer Stone Fruit Salad with Raspberry-Honey Vinaigrette
This bright and lively salad is perfect for a hot summer’s day.
Ingredients:
2 heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 cup Sungold cherry tomatoes
2 ripe but firm apricots, cut into wedges
2 ripe but firm peaches, cut into wedges
1 Tropea onion, thinly diced
â…“ cup feta, crumbled
Fresh basil and mint leaves
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
For the vinaigrette:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup raspberry wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1-2 teaspoons honey
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Arrange the tomatoes, peaches, apricots and red onions on a large platter.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the salad ingredients with the vinaigrette and lightly toss to coat. Top with feta, basil and mint, and then season generously with salt and pepper.
Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Sweet Onion
This light side salad is excellent served for lunch, or alongside a grilled protein and bread.
Ingredients:
2 slicing or Armenian cucumbers, washed and sliced into ¼-inch thick chunks
1-2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
½-1 cup Walla Walla onion rounds, thinly sliced and separated
1-2 tablespoons fresh green garlic
2-3 tablespoons combined freshly-chopped mint, basil and parsley
½ cup Summer Red Wine Vinaigrette (see recipe)
Sea salt and pepper
Method:
1. Combine tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet onion in a large bowl, then toss with green garlic and fresh herbs.
2. Drizzle with red wine vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper as desired and allow salad to sit for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.
Crisp Cucumber & Cherry Tomato Salad
This cool side is tossed with spring onions, a medley of herbs and our blood orange-white balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
1 slicing cucumber, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and sliced in half
½ cup spring onion, thinly-sliced into rounds
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Farm & Larder white balsamic-blood orange vinaigrette
Fresh cracked pepper
Method:
1. Toss cucumber pieces, cherry tomato halves and sweet onion slices in a large bowl along with fresh herbs.
2. Drizzle with about ½ cup of the vinaigrette, adding more to taste, and combine all ingredients, allowing to sit for a few minutes for flavor to meld. Season with fresh cracked pepper as desired.
Heirloom Tomato & Herb Salad
A simple drizzle of oil and vinegar allows the natural tomato flavors to shine in this recipe from Martha Stewart.
Ingredients:
3 pounds heirloom tomatoes (halved or cut into wedges, depending on size)
1 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, oregano and basil
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar, for drizzling
Flake sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Arrange tomatoes on a platter. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil.
2. Drizzle herbs with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
3. Sprinkle herbs and feta cheese over tomatoes. Serve immediately.
Grilled Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
In addition to salad greens, this bright and robust dressing is wonderful tossed with pasta salad, or drizzled over steamed or grilled vegetables.
Ingredients:
1-2 heirloom tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
½ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill tomato halves until soft and slightly charred, beginning flesh side down, and flipping over halfway through cooking so both sides have grill marks. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and herbs and process until smooth. Check for seasoning and season liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Then, with processor running, slowly add olive oil and process until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.
Village Salad
The classic Mediterranean salad, tossed with tomatoes, pepperoncini, olives and feta.
Ingredients:
1-2 heirloom tomatoes depending on size, cut into bite sized chunks
½ cup sliced pepperoncini
1 cup Kalamata olives
¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh oregano or other fresh herb of your choice, stripped of stems and chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers and pepperoncini in a bowl. Mix in the olives.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, and salt and pepper, and pour over the salad to coat. Toss well then sprinkle with feta cheese.