Cherry Tomato Salad

Sister-in-Law Janet’s tomato plants have officially entered the “please take some tomatoes” phase of summer.  Luckily for me, I was the recipient of a bowl of those gorgeous little cherry tomatoes.

I absolutely love fresh tomatoes. There’s just no comparison between a tomato picked ripe from the vine and the ones sitting in the grocery store. Store-bought tomatoes can look pretty, but that fresh-from-the-garden flavor is something else entirely.

The dressing for this salad is basically a simple vinaigrette, so nothing complicated there. I tossed the tomatoes with a Persian cucumber, and the two worked really well together. Fresh, crunchy, and exactly the kind of simple combination I enjoy.

I liked pretty much everything about this recipe with one exception: the orange zest. I didn't even use the full tablespoon called for, and it still wasn't working for me. The flavor just seemed out of place with everything else going on. If I make this again, the orange peel is definitely getting the boot. Sometimes a recipe just needs one little tweak to make it right for you. 

Cherry Tomato Salad

Recipe from Healthy Recipes Blog

Serves 4

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved 
• ¼ cup green onions - chopped; green parts only

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Your first step is to mix chopped fresh tomatoes (I usually use sliced cherry tomatoes) with chopped scallions.

The next step is to add a tasty dressing made of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and orange zest.

Mix the salad, let it rest, then serve.

Combine the tomatoes and the green onions in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange zest, salt, and pepper until they emulsify into a thick, velvety dressing. If the dressing seems too thick, mix in a teaspoon of water.

Pour the dressing on top of the vegetables and mix to combine.

Let the salad rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. This step is not mandatory but helps the flavors meld and improves the salad's flavor.