Pull out the extra-virgin olive oil, good vinegar, and highfalutin sea salt because each of this salad’s few ingredients defines the final flavor. Of course, the most important element is ripe, beauteous tomatoes, so hunt some down at your local market. We recommend serving with Corn Chowder soup and a hearty entrée such as our Steak Marinade recipe.

This recipe was featured as part of our Tomatoes! recipe gallery.

  • Yield: 4 – 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (6)

  • 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Vinegar (balsamic, red wine or sherry)
  • Sprinkling of herbs (tarragon, basil, chives, and/or Italian parsley)

Instructions

  1. Gather 2 pounds of ripe heirloom tomatoes (choose a variety of colors and sizes, as well as the most perfect tomatoes you can find at the height of the season). Cut them into various sizes: wedges, thick slices, in half, or, if you have some tiny cherry tomatoes, leave them whole. Arrange them on a chilled plate and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and your favorite vinegar (balsamic, red wine, or sherry would be good). Top with a sprinkling of fresh, torn herbs like tarragon, basil, chives, and/or Italian parsley. Serve immediately.