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This is a salad we make during summer when there are plenty of fresh tomatoes around and indoor cooking is kept to a minimum . Something like this is will take only 5 minutes to make and what is more it is an easy dish for kid s to make. Delegate !!!
Summer’s bounty comes together in this salad. Fresh colorful produce needs little or no enhancements. This is not the only summer tomato salad I make, but when you get as gorgeous produce as these colorful tomatoes you would rather let these speak for themselves.
Ideally I would like to have the freshest of fresh tomatoes for this as in just plucked from the yard or bought from the farm stand. But when I came across these heirloom beauties at the store I could not resist. There was a bunch fresh basil nearby as well. The colors were absolutely irresistible.
If you have a basil plant in the back yard or on the porch this is the time to run to it and get a few leaves. I have one indoors for the winter , but it is not doing so well this year. So had to resort to this bunch is from store ..
These were so beautiful I wanted to keep the look intact as much as possible . Just slice them into discs and half the work is done 😊
Normally this would have been a recipe for Caprese salad but there are times when I prefer to have a non diary option . And this was one of those ..
See the beautiful color contrast . When something looks so pretty do not go messing around with it. Trust me when I say this – nature has much more experience in this department.
You need ripe but firm tomatoes for this recipe. If the tomatoes are over ripe use them to make a sauce or soup not in a salad.
The good thing about this dish is that it is perfect for a backyard barbeque or a potluck . You can slice the tomatoes and mix the dressing a few hours in advance, but I would assemble it just before serving.
I made these with heirloom tomatoes , but any firm sweet tomatoes will work great here. Beef stake , roma take your pick. The key to getting it right lies in fresh ingredients – use extra virgin olive oil and good balsamic vinegar. You could substitute red wine vinegar or avocado oil if you like , but no refined oils please.
The dressing is a simple vinaigrette of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a touch of garlic. Adjust these to your preference. I like to sprinkle a some capers on top for an added burst of flavor. 
Use these tomatoes in your burger and see the difference . I for one can just have these between two slices of bread or pita bread and call it a meal – but that is just me.
So here is how to make these pretty garden tomato basil salad.
A 5 minute salad made with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves.
- 3 - 4 Tomatoes Medium to Large
- 1/4 cup Fresh basil Leaves
- 2 Tsp Capers Nonpareil in brine
- 1 clove Garlic Finely Minced
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch thick discs.
Mince or grate the garlic finely. Add to a small mixing bowl. Mix together with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.
- Arrange the tomatoes on a serving plate. Roughly tear the basil leaves and scatter over the tomatoes.
Before serving pour the dressing over the tomatoes, and sprinkle the capers on top.
- Use as much or as less vinaigrette as needed . Refrigerate any leftover and use within 3 days.
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear about it ! Leave a COMMENT, RATING , share a photo and TAG me on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK OR GOOGLE+
Got more tomatoes? you might like this
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