Cherry Tomato Salad

Vibrant colors, fresh produce, and a lively vinaigrette.
 This salad goes with any meal.

Cheery cherry tomatoes flourish in our gardens throughout the summer.  Because they are easy to grow, it seems everyone has a plant in their backyard this time of year.  Today's salad features simple preparation and presentation.  Using mixed color tomatoes or just a red variety is your choice.

Serves:  4
Prep time:   15 minutes

1 generous cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 recipe vinaigrette
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
Lettuces:  romaine, butter, green or red leaf, baby kales

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoon light olive oil or canola oil, or one tablespoon of each
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste, approximately one pinch salt and two or three grinds of pepper
 

Try to make pieces the same size.  Larger tomatoes may be cut into thirds.

Wash and blot dry all produce.  Cut cherry tomatoes for the salad.  Prepare the vinaigrette.

Basic vinaigrette is a staple in European households.  No one need buy dressing when this is so easy to prepare.  Dressings keep in the fridge for weeks.

Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients.  Or, place ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to emulsify.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

I prefer a two parts oil to one part vinegar dressing.  However, others like a less tart vinaigrette. Add a little more oil if need be.  Be sure to season to taste.  Remember, if it needs more tart, add more acid - vinegar.  If it needs taming down, add more oil.  Once you get the hang of making dressing at home, you can experiment with added herbs and spices to customize the recipe depending on what you are serving.

Tear the lettuces and place on a platter.  Mix together cut tomatoes and torn basil.  Add half of the dressing to tomatoes to moisten and stir.  Spoon the tomato mixture over the lettuces and drizzle salad with remaining vinaigrette. A sprinkling of coarse salt and coarse ground pepper may be added if you feel it needs it.  Not necessary though.

Each serving using mixed lettuces offers 73 calories, just less than 1 g fiber and protein, and 10% of your vitamin E requirement.  If you use just kale as your lettuce, the salad offers 86 calories, 1.2 g fiber, and 1.5 g protein.

Baby kales are now available in pre-washed packages at Trader Joes.  Because they are so young and tender, they don't have the strong earthy or bitter taste that some people are turned off by.  Try these.  They are a super food.

Lettuces in the above salad feature heirloom butter lettuce, kale, and romaine from our garden.  Lettuces are prolific garden specimens.  Several adult plants each will keep you in leaves for at least a few weeks. Trim lettuces for eating from the base of the stem and work upward as the plants grow.

- Kim Fielding