Tomato Salad

In good taste

A word of caution: only make this salad with in-season tomatoes. In other words, wait until tomatoes are plenty, in season and at their peak of ripeness, for this is when they are best.

20130505ripenessA simple dressing of salt and freshly ground black pepper is all you need to get this salad going. You can dress it up like I did with the baby leaves of lemon basil that is so abundant in Guyana, also known as married-man-pork; or, shred/tear sweet basil leaves. A drizzle of high quality olive oil (if you like the flavour) rounds out the salad.

Once made, serve the salad immediately or you can let it sit for a while. The tomatoes will soften and develop wonderful juices. Add heaping tablespoons (tomatoes and sauce) onto crisp toast for an instant Bruschetta (a type of Italian toast) that can be served as a snack or an appetizer.

INGREDIENTS

●    1 pound ripe cherry tomatoes, or any variety of ripe tomatoes

●    Basil leaves, torn or shredded

●    Olive Oil

●    Salt and Pepper to taste

20130505tomatoesDIRECTIONS

1.    Cut tomatoes in half and add to a large bowl. If using large tomatoes, cut them into bite-size     chunks.

2.    Add basil leaves.

3.    Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss to mix.

4.    Serve immediately.