Whether they’re fresh from the garden or the farmer’s market, heirloom tomatoes are the belles of the mid-summer produce ball. Enjoy them – in all their dimpled, stripey, colorful glory – in this super seasonal salad from Kate Smith. Smith, with her husband and fellow chef Trevor Smith, is on the verge of opening Thistle & Leek, a casual neighborhood refuge with a menu of terroir-driven refined gastropub fare, right in the heart of Newton Centre. This recipe, from her days heading up the kitchen at Toro, pairs the seasonal lovelies with plums (another contender for Farmer’s Market Most Popular) and dresses them with feta cream for a spotlight-stealing summer dish.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
For the tomatoes
- 3 or 4 heirloom tomatoes
- 3 plums
- 1 shallot
- 2 tablespoons harissa or other spicy condiment
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- fleur de sel
- mint
- 1/2 baguette
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup feta
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
For the tomatoes
- Mix the harissa, vinegar and fish sauce with a whisk.
- Slice tomatoes into varying shapes.
- Cut plums in quarters and remove pits.
- Thinly slice shallots.
- Lay out tomatoes and plums flat in a dish.
- Spread with harissa mixture and then spread sliced shallot on top.
- Season with fleur de sel and sprinkle with olive oil.
- Set aside while making the feta cream and migas.
- Slice garlic and lightly toast in olive oil, take off heat and set aside.
- Cut the crust off the baguette and discard.
- Tear inside of baguette into small pieces and toss with garlic, oil and a pinch of salt.
- Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Combine feta and yogurt in a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Stream in olive oil.
- In a bowl, spread a heaping spoonful of feta cream.
- Top with tomatoes and plums, spooning the juice over as well.
- Sprinkle the top with the garlic migas and top with torn mint leaves.
