Heirloom Tomato Salad

Recipe by Chef Josh Silvers, down home: downtown

Ingredients

Yellow Tomato Vinaigrette:
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1⁄2 small yellow tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 1⁄4 cup)
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Basil Oil:
1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish
1⁄4 cup canola oil
2 pounds ripe multicolored heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick crosswise slices
4 ounces burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese (see Note)
Balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Directions

For the tomato vinaigrette: In a blender, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth.

For the basil oil: In a medium pot of salted boiling water, blanch the basil for 20 seconds. Immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Squeeze the leaves dry and chop coarsely. In the blender, combine the chopped basil and canola oil and blend until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl.

Arrange the tomato slices on 4 salad plates. Top each with a thick slice of burrata cheese. Top the burrata with a sprig of basil. Drizzle the basil oil, balsamic vinegar, and a little of the yellow tomato vinaigrette around each salad and serve.

Note: Burrata is a creamy Italian cow’s-milk cheese crafted from fresh mozzarella curds. It can be found in specialty cheese shops and should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days of purchase.

Makes 4 first-course servings.

Photography by Alan Campbell Photography