“Farm fresh heirloom vegetables are starting to come onto the market and they are absolutely gorgeous! Andi and I love seeing the bright colors and shapes of these veggies on our specialty markets shelves. In a restaurant they pose a unique challenge for chefs; we love their fresh taste but the inconsistent size is an obstacle. We want every guest to enjoy a consistent plate every time. With heirloom vegetables that is not always possible but for home cooks who care less about consistency and more about flavor, heirloom vegetables are a seasonal treat!
This past week we found an heirloom cherry tomato bar at our local grocer and the tiny multi-colored delicacies gave us the spark of inspiration. We were grilling that night and were still looking for an imaginative side. An heirloom tomato salad sounded perfect but we did not want to go strictly traditional and add simply basil to the mix. Instead we added chives and cilantro to drive up the flavor of the petite tomatoes. White balsamic vinegar and organic olive oil round out the ingredients for this side dish that will be a perfect addition to your next backyard barbeque. This recipe will make enough for four people as a side.
I bought our first Le Creuset casserole dish for Andi shortly after a friend invited us to a dinner party and served homemade crab cannelloni in a very cute miniature Le Creuset stoneware dishes. In our opinion the petite size makes it the perfect size to serve any side dish for any dinner situation.” – Joe
Ingredients
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1.5 pounds heirloom cherry tomatoes – cut in half
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1 tablespoon chives – finely chopped
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1 tablespoon cilantro – finely chopped
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1 medium shallot – finely chopped
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1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
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2 tablespoons organic olive oil
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salt and pepper to taste
Directions
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Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and gently stir to incorporate.
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Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
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Transfer to serving plate.