Good fresh tomatoes can stand on their own. Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you have a tomato for dinner, but how about this simple triple tomato salad as the accompaniment to a tasty protein. I really love tomatoes, beefsteak, cherry, grape, heirloom, so long as they are fresh and tasty, I’m in. Imagine this triple tomato salad, with miso marinated salmon or spicy crusted cod, it would be flippin fantastic.
We all know tomatoes are good for us, but do we eat enough? They’re perfect for keeping to a low-calorie diet, they’re good for the heart and blood pressure, and tomatoes are on the American Diabetes Associations’ top ten list of diabetes superfoods. With this information don’t you just want to run out and get some tomatoes? I certainly do, and that is how I happened to spend an extraordinary amount of money on tomatoes last week.
I was doing some research on superfoods, and saw that tomatoes are high up on the list of things you should eat. That day, I was in Midtown NY, and on my way home I walked through Grand Central Market. I really enjoy walking through Grand Central Market, feasting my eyes on the produce, cakes, spices and all manner of other goodies. The only snag is, I’m often inspired to make an impulse purchase, an unplanned shop for something I don’t really need. Grand Central Market for me is just like Saks Fifth Avenue for a Fashion Blogger. I smell something wonderful, and I just gotta have it!
Eli Zabar does great trade with their farm to table produce, but it’s at a price. After eye balling tomatoes online, I felt compelled to buy six tomatoes for $11.00. Yes, $11.00! Four on the vine and two plum – that’s it! They were wonderfully tasty though.
When I got home I got to work on a triple tomato salad. I already had some cherry tomatoes and some sun dried tomatoes soaking in olive oil, so I chopped them up, and this is the result. Isn’t she pretty?!
If you’d like to make a triple tomato salad all of your own, but don’t have cooking rings, fear not. Just use a can. But don’t wait until you have to open a can to make this salad, do it now, and promise to make something cool with whatever you ousted from its home in order to make triple tomato salad.
Don’t forget to keep the top and bottom of the can, you’ll need them for plating and pressing.
Triple Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup vine tomatoes diced
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
- Drizzle balsamic glaze
Utensils & Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Assuming you do not have food rings - a can with the top and bottom removed
Instructions
- Thoroughly drain tomatoes to remove as much liquid as you can.
- Halve all ingredients then follow the steps below twice.
- Place the bottom of the can on a chopping board, then place the can on top, so that the bottom of the can acts as a tray.
- Place vine tomatoes in the middle of the can to create a thick layer then top with a layer of sun dried tomatoes, and finish off with grape tomatoes.
- Drop the top of the can on top, then gently press the top of the can to remove any excess fluid.
- Allow to sit for approx. 5 mins
- Serve by transferring to a plate, then gently remove the can, the top of the can, and finally, push the tomato salad off the bottom piece of the can.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.
Notes
My recipe assumes you do not have food rings, but if you do, replace the can with a food ring, spatula and tamper.
I used one food ring to create two tomato salads, but you can make it easier on yourself and use two cans or food rings, to save on time and effort.
