The Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad

Hannah Sunderani
Aug 1, 2016
4 min read

Happy August everyone! I can't believe this is our final month of summer...where did it go!? In so many ways I'm sad it's the final month, but it also makes these last weeks a bit sweeter -- because with the end in sight we begin to cherish the things that make summer so great. Including FOOD!

I have been so fortunate to experience my first summer living here in France and all the wondrous things it has done for my palate. I must say - they're right. Food in France really is like no other...it's unbelievably fresh, juicy and SO full of flavour. I can't tell you how many times I've bitten into a fresh peach, cherry, apple, asparagus, tomato etc. etc. and yelled "this is the best I've ever tasted!" I don't know if I will ever get used to it! hehe. It has been a total privilege having gotten to experience the benefits of local markets and all the fresh summer produce that's available at my finger tips.

With that said, I can't let go of this summer without sharing my newest obsession - TOMATOES. I don't think there is anything more delicious, healthy and refreshing than whipping up a big bowl of freshly cut and juicy summer tomatoes! Tomatoes are that veg (or fruit depending on which team you play for) that hits it out of the park in August. It totally brings it's A-game! But these bad boys won't be in season forever so the time is now to indulge! Come the fall and winter it's a totally different veg, and you might wonder how you could have possibly eaten 5-6 in one sitting...

I must confess that I haven't always been a tomato fan (dun-dun-duuun!). In fact, it's been more of a love/hate relationships and I think it's mainly due to the fact that I expected too much from this magnificent veg...when we live in a world where all produce is available all year round we lose sight of the fact that they are seasonal to certain regions. When food gets shipped from country to country, sprayed with pesticides and lowered to very cold temperatures to ensure longer shelf life, they lose a lot of their magic. Just think of yourself before you board a plane vs. when you land. You're exhausted by the end! I'm convinced if vegetables could talk they'd tell you all about their jet lag!

And so my new tomato obsession has flourished over the past few weeks of summer, as I've ventured to local farmers markets tasting the ripest and most in-season tomatoes. What a ride it's been! It's a shame I hadn't discovered it's greatness years ago. And what inspired me to turn these delicious tomatoes into an Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad was a recent visit Mitch and I took to San Sebastian during our honeymoon. Pinxtos is very popular in that region - it's when you move from restaurant to restaurant tasting little plates of the chef's local specialities and drink local wine. The idea is to travel to as many restaurants you can, tasting one or two plates from each spot. It's such a treat! Although it was also a little difficult at times for my plant-based lifestyle. However, one night we stumbled upon a particular restaurant whose plate-of-the-week was a chunky tomato salad. It changed my life! And my love for tomatoes surged two fold! Honestly, I was so obsessed with this salad that every night following we had to stop at this restaurant! I'd dip their freshly baked bread into the juices, top it with hunks of tomatoes and bite-in. Honestly, I'm drooling all over again! Since we returned from our honeymoon I've recreated this salad at least twice a week. It's so easy to prepare! Just chop your tomatoes, add some fresh herbs, citrus and oil, and don't forget the salt and pepper - then I run over to the boulangerie at the end of our street, pick up a freshly baked baguette and go to town on the toms. I'm totally addicted.

So before summer ends I strongly recommend you try this delicious Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad. Head on over to your local farmers market and grab the brightest and best smelling tomatoes you can find - any kind and any colour will do! I promise, you won't be forgetting about your newfound tomato obsession come the winter time. Instead, you'll be counting down the days to next year's crop, when you can whip up another batch of this sweet sweet dish.

Ultimate Summer Tomato Salad

Serves: 2-3 | Prep Time: 10-15 mins | Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

1 lb. summer tomatoes
1/4 sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped basil (approx. 8-10 leaves)
1/4 cup chives (finely chopped)
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
the juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp agave
salt flakes to taste
pepper to taste
1 freshly baked baguette

Directions:

Chop your tomatoes into thin wedges and add to a large mixing bowl.
Chop 1/4 sweet onion into very thin slices. Separate the layers using your fingers, and add to the bowl.
Add your chopped basil and chives, evoo, lemon juice and agave. Season with a pinch of salt flakes and pepper. Gently mix.
Add more salt flakes to taste and place in fridge to chill for approx. 1 hour. Serve with a freshly baked baguette.

Approvals: