Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Cherry Tomato Salad

I am lucky enough to have a Sunday morning farmers market just up the road. It has many wonderful cheese, bread and homemade pie vendors who generously offer up samples as I stroll by, but my favorite is TheTomatoStall. They have the sweetest and most gorgeous cherry tomatos. The past few times I have only gotten a single punnet (theres a new measurement for me!) and that didn't even make it home. So this week I pick up two and made a cherry tomato salad that really highlights the sweet fresh flavor of these cherry tomatos and and hints at summer. 
Serve with crusty bread for a perfect garden lunch ~ 
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a salad. 

2 punnets, or about 60 cherry tomatos 
1 large clove of garlic 
1/4 cup of good olive oil 
a small chunk of chorizo sausage cut very finely 
a few sprigs of thyme, 4 -5 mint leaves torn & half a dozen basil leaves. Or any fresh herbs you have. 
1/4 cup of feta cheese 
a few shaves of parmesan cheese 
salt & pepper 
a few red pepper flakes 

Crush garlic clove with a knife blade and place in a mortar along with the salt, fresh black pepper, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Gentle use the pestle to macerate these ingredients & let stand. Only crush the garlic a bit, do not make it into a paste. 

Cut cherry tomatoes lengthwise and place in a large bowl. Add finely minced chorizo, crumbled feta, thyme and torn mint leaves. Macerate garlic and oil mixture again and then discard garlic chunks. Pour oil mixture over tomatoes and toss. Just before serving, add torn basil leaves, a few shaves of parmasen & another grind of fresh black pepper. 

Add more or less of whatever you like, but I like to let the sweet flavor of the tomatos shine and have the other ingredients be background 


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