A Tomato Salad

Already getting depressed about the rapidly approaching end of tomato season!

If we hurry there may still be time for tomato vichyssoise or an heirloom tart, a compote of cherry tomatoes roasted with olive oil, garlic and herbs to serve with crusty French bread as an hors d'oeuvre, grape tomatoes oven-dried into spritely raisins. And then as "the end" approaches, adventurous takes on fried green tomatoes (Hello, Mary Stuart Masterson!) and green tomato chutney - we still have some from last year's gift from Bob and Nancy Nolan's harvest.

A Tomato Salad

As we all know, remove from the core, make a shallow X on the bottom, drop for a few seconds into boiling water, remove, peel and slice. Sprinkle slices with finely chopped shallots and leave for an hour or two or three. At serving time, drizzle with a bit of sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, salt lightly and reassemble carefully core-side down, so it will sit. Top with a teeny salad of microgreens or a basil leaf and a quenelle of herbed goat cheese. 

One guest commented, "So that's what an eight dollar tomato looks like!"  

And just think if you alternated slices of red and yellow!