I lived with an Italian for a couple of years. Dividing our things when we broke up was difficult; keeping the recipes his mom gave me was easy. This is her tomato salad that I adore.
Ingredients
- tomatoes, cubed (it’s better if they are red, orange, and yellow tomatoes, but we don’t get the yankee ones down South very often)
- fresh basil, ripped/torn, not cut
- red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- salt, I prefer sea salt
- black pepper
Preparation
- Blend all the ingredients
- Marinate overnight (or at least until room temperature)
Variations
- add cucumbers
- add zucchini
- add pepperoncini peppers
- add small portions of kale or other fresh greens
- use the marinade as a base for homemade salad dressing (far fewer caLes than anything you can buy; just add a little garlic and mustard!)
Notes
I made this for Xmas one year for my dad’s family. The red tomatoes and the fresh green basil in my grandmother’s crystal salad bowl were nothing short of beautiful. It was expensive at that time of year, but a worth-the-price luxury when my snobby aunt sat down with paper & pen and insisted on the recipe right there and then. I didn’t tell her the real ingredient was love (or to tear the basil).