Mixed Tomato Salad

This month, I've asked Esi from one of my very favorite blogs, Dishing up Delights, to guest post. Of the many blogs I read, I think Esi's cooking style is probably the closest to my own, so if you like this blog, you'll love hers. I highly recommend you go check it out as soon as you finish with her guest post. I know you'll enjoy her as much as I do.

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Imagine my surprise and delight when Andrea asked me to do an Off the Shelf guest post on her lovely site...Then the summer got away from me. For some reason I haven't been cooking much lately, but I have been visiting the farmers market every week and tomato salads have been a meal for me at least once a week. Unlike those on the east coast, tomatoes in California are out in full force with the only question being, which color to choose? That is what I love about this salad. It's using one of the best summer ingredients and letting their natural flavor be the star.

I found this recipe in one of my favorite books for any time of year, Everyday Food. I love that the book is divided by season. Everything is quick and all of the recipes I have tried have been delicious. There are also plenty of tips and basic recipes on everything from burgers to soup. It has quickly become my go to book for quick recipes. For this particular salad I used a mix of cherry tomatoes and a yellow beefsteak tomato. One of the baskets of cherry tomatoes was almost purple in color and I loved the contrast between the dark red, lighter red, and yellow. The way mixed tomatoes paired with the vibrant arugula made a dish pleasing to the eye as well as to the mouth. I only made one change to the recipe which was to use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine. The sweet balsamic went perfectly well with the sweet tomatoes and the spicy bite of the arugula. This is a simple, unassuming salad for a simple summer afternoon.

Mixed Tomato Salad
(Slightly Adapted from Everyday Food)

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds mixed tomatoes, such as red or yellow beefsteak, cherry, grape, and pear
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch arugula (6 to 8 ounces), washed well and dried

Core beefsteak tomatoes; cut each into 8 wedges. Halve grape and cherry tomatoes; leave pear tomatoes whole.

Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss arugula with half the dressing. Divide arugula and tomatoes evenly among four serving plates; drizzle tomatoes with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe