Blistered Tomatoes, Basil, Gorgonzola Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Blistered cherry tomatoes burst in your mouth in a sweet explosion when added to a salad. They add a different texture and flavor than a standard tomato and surprise the eater in the very best way. Paired with creamy gorgonzola, fresh basil, and tender greens, this salad is light, silky, and delicate. And the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette rounds out the whole package with a tangy and savory burst of flavor.
This salad makes a perfect side salad for four or serves two big salad eaters. To make it, get together these ingredients and follow the instructions below.
6 cups of fresh mixed greens (the fresher the better)
2 1/2 cups of cherry or plum tomatoes
1 cup of fresh basil
1/3 cup of crumbled gorgonzola cheese
For the sun dried tomato vinaigrette, mix the following items together vigorously.
2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon of good white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh black pepper
1/2 cup of olive oil
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
1 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoons of honey
Make the vinaigrette by adding the shallots to the vinegar and letting them sit for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients and whisking or shaking the mixture until the ingredients are well combined. Let the dressing sit at room temperature to blend the flavors.
Clean and dry your greens and tear into big pieces for the salad and set aside in the fridge to prevent wilting. Heat a cast iron or thick bottomed fry pan on high heat until hot enough to steam away a drip of water. Add your tomatoes to the pan and shake the pan to keep the tomatoes burning. Add a few drops of olive oil and a few pinches of salt as you go. Keep the tomatoes moving for 2 to 3 minutes until they are slightly blistered and pour them onto a plate to cool for 10 minutes. While the tomatoes are cooling, chiffonade the basil into thin slivers and crumble the gorgonzola. When you are ready to serve your meal, add the tomatoes, basil, and gorgonzola to the greens. Toss the salad with 1/2 the dressing and taste. Add more dressing if needed, toss and serve immediately.