Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 400 g ripe mixed heirloom tomatoes, room temperature, cut into wedges or thick slices
- 200 g fresh mozzarella, room temperature, torn into bite-sized pieces
Dressings and Garnishes
- 50 g black olive tapenade, store-bought or homemade
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, high quality
- 2 g flaky sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 10 g fresh basil leaves, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Core and slice the heirloom tomatoes into wedges or thick slabs, depending on their size. Place them on the cutting board and sprinkle lightly with the flaky sea salt. Let them rest for 5 minutes to draw out excess moisture and concentrate their flavor.
Arrange the salted tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on a large serving platter.
Tear the fresh mozzarella into bite-sized rustic pieces and nestle them evenly among the arranged tomatoes.
Using a small spoon, drop dollops of the black olive tapenade evenly over the tomatoes and mozzarella.
Drizzle the entire platter generously with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and torn fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately while the ingredients are at room temperature.
Chef's Notes
- Never refrigerate your tomatoes. Cold temperatures alter the enzymes in tomatoes, turning their texture mealy and severely muting their flavor.
- Tearing mozzarella instead of cutting it creates irregular, craggy edges that beautifully catch and hold the olive oil and tapenade.
- Because this recipe has so few ingredients, the quality of your extra virgin olive oil and tomatoes dictates the success of the dish. Use the best you can find.
- A serrated knife is the best tool for slicing tomatoes cleanly without crushing their delicate flesh, especially if your chef knife isn't perfectly sharp.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Best eaten fresh; tomatoes will become mealy and release excess water if stored in the refrigerator for long periods.
