Tomatoes are those red, round and bland tasting things you buy in the grocery store right? Oh contraire mon frere! That might be the case with your everyday tomatoes but NOT when it comes to Heirloom Tomatoes.
Heirlooms tomatoes can be red, yellow, green, purple or a mix of colors and round is not really how I would describe their shape. That is the beauty of them. They are all one of a kind and absolutely bursting with flavor.
Every summer my husband and I have a huge summer party at our house. I usually make all the food and am always trying to add new dishes or use ingredients that our friends may not have tried. This year, I made a beautiful Caprese Salad with heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, imported Greek olive oil & basil from my garden. I was amazed that so many people had never had a truly delicious tasting heirloom tomato. It was really one of the stars of the day.
Along with the caprese salad I made a Panzanella Salad which is really just a classic salad with big chunks of seasoned Italian bread tossed in. I jazzed mine up by grilling all of the ingredients in it. Even the lettuce. Grilling a salad gives it so much more depth and turns ordinary salad into something really flavorful and exciting to eat.
For the Italian bread, I sliced the loaf in half like you would if you were making garlic bread. Then I liberally brushed olive oil on the top and bottom and seasoned with “Sara’s Tuscan salt blend” and grilled till it was toasted on both sides but still soft. Then I cubed the bread and set it aside.
I used Romain lettuce that I quartered lengthwise, drizzled olive oil on it and grilled it until it was just slightly charred and wilted. Then I did the same with some Zucchini and small heirloom grape tomatoes were grilled next. The tomato skin will char and burst a little when you grill them.
I added everything to a wooden salad bowl and dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil salt and pepper. That’s it.
I loved seeing people go back for seconds on the salads, and not just my vegetarian friends either!
If you’ve never tried an heirloom tomato before I urge you to get to your local farmer’s market (and get there early because they disappear fast) and try them.