Tomato, Basil & Red Onion Salad

 

I used up some of those delicious tomatoes that I bought last week in a tasty salad built just for two (or three if you are not a big salad eater.)

 

These tomatoes are amazing and I don't want any to go to waste. Like my mother I store my tomatoes in a bowl at room temperature.  There is nothing to ruin the flavour of fresh tomatoes more than to store them in the refrigerator.

 

Like pears, tomatoes are a fruit that continue to ripen as they sit out.  Most of the ones you buy in the shops have been picked before they are totally ripe, which gives us more time to get them to the shops and into our homes.

  

Leaving them at room temperature in a bowl helps them to acheive their maxiumum flavour potention.  Although admittedly at certain times of the year there is just not a lot you can do to  make them taste better.

 

These ones I got last week are amazing however.  Fresh from the Isle of Wight and The Tomato Stall.  It must be the air and the soil down there. 

 

For this salad today I used a mix of golden tomatoes and baby plum tomatoes.  So sweet and delicious. 

 

They also looked very pretty together in the bowl.  I slivered some red onion as well and added it into the mix.

 

The vinaigrette is a simple one  . . .  a good olive oil  . . .  the one I used today was such a good one you could actually taste the olives in it  . . .

 

A quality red wine vinegar . . .  don't use cheap and nasty. It never tastes as good  . . .

 

 A touch of honey . . . to just add a bit of sweetness  . . .  the tomatoes are already plenty sweet . . .

   

Some fine sea salt, a good grinding of black pepper and then some lovely slivers of fresh basil. Magnificent!

Tomato, Basil & Red Onion Salad

Yield: 2 - 3

Author: Marie Rayner

Such a simple thing and yet so delicious.  This is fabulous as a side dish but also great served with chicken or fish as a tasty garnish.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 60ml of a well flaoured olive oil (1/4 cup)
• 120ml of a good red wine vinegar (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp liquid honey
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:

• 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 6 large leaves of fresh basil, rolled into a cigar and then jullienned

Instructions:

1. Put all of the ingredients for the dressing into a jar with a lid.  Give it a good shake to emulsify them. Set aside.
2. Gently toss the tomatoes and onions together. Give the dressing another shake and drizzle over top.  Sprinkle with the basil and gently stir to combine.  Serve at room temperature.

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This is one of my favourite salads to make with tomatoes.  I love the dressing. I could eat this on its own just with a slice of buttered crusty bread. Oh so tasty! 

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