Friday, April 13, 2012

Spring Tomato Salad

Beautiful, multi-colored, ripe tomatoes are so good, I could eat them with a little salt and they would be a perfect side for any meal.

This salad by Jamie Oliver adds a little olive oil and balsamic with a pinch of dried oregano to lightly compliment the hearty taste of BBQ.
2 1/4 pounds mixed ripe tomatoes, different shapes and colors
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good pinch dried oregano
Red wine or balsamic vinegar 
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
1 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped

Depending on the size of your tomatoes, slice some in half, some into quarters and others into uneven chunks.
Put the tomatoes into a colander and season with a good pinch of sea salt.

Give them a toss, season again and give a couple more tosses. The salt won't be drawn into the tomatoes; instead it will draw any excess moisture out. Leave the tomatoes in the colander on top of a bowl to stand for around 15 minutes, then discard any juice that has come out of them.
Transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle over the oregano.
Make a dressing using 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, the garlic and a chili.