NEW YORK CITY — One of the hallmarks of summer is a great, juicy, fragrant tomato.
By contrast, think of the mealy, pink, tasteless watery substitutes that we see in the grocery store for most of the year.
Tomatoes come into season during the summer and the best of the bunch tend to be the cherry and grape tomatoes, which are the sweetest and have lower acidity.
While we generally tend to think of tomatoes as red, there are a variety of colors — purple, orange, yellow and even green.
This recipe is a riff on a salad my grandmother used to make, using the tomatoes in our backyard.
There was nothing like them, but this is a close second.
Shallots, which are milder in flavor than onions, contrast the sweetness of the grape tomatoes without overpowering them. Capers give you a salty bite and the basil provides a fresh finish.
A hint of creamy feta and a red wine vinaigrette tie the dish together. Enjoy this with fish, chicken, beef or any meat for a perfect summer meal that can be prepared in a minute.
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS:
2 pints of grape tomatoes, multi-color if you can find them, halved
2 tbs. fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 large shallot, cut into thin slices
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. capers (or more to taste)
2 tbs. feta cheese, crumbled
DIRECTIONS:
1. Whisk the red wine vinegar and olive oil in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add the tomatoes, shallots and capers to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enough of the vinaigrette to coat.
3. Just before serving, add the basil and toss. Sprinkle with feta.