This Naked Tomato Salad Can Replace Caprese
I remember the first time I took a bite of a cherry tomato. I’ve been to Sizzler. I was seven years old. A boy was present. As usual, I talked a lot when I accidentally put the mini-mato in my mouth. My teeth pierced my skin, it exploded with great force, and seeds and tomato gel spurted out of it. I was so ashamed that I shut up.
I also remember the first time I ate a peeled cherry tomato. It was served to me in this restaurant . I was 28. Men were present. I still talked a lot. I put a small shiny ball in my mouth. There was no explosion, only the juiciest, silkiest, sweetest and most tomato tomatoes I have ever tasted. It felt so good that I stopped talking.
Since then, I have been peeling cherry tomatoes with enthusiasm. You see, aside from turning small tomatoes into real mouth explosives, the skins don’t really add anything to the sensation of eating tomatoes. They are tough and relatively tasteless, and when removed, they can stick to any dressing when used.
They are also very easy and soothing to exfoliate. Simply cut small crosses at the bottom using very little pressure and a very sharp knife, being careful not to cut too deep into the flesh.
Then, immerse the tomatoes in boiling water for about 7-10 seconds until you see their skins begin to peel off. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and then immediately immerse them in an ice bath.
Peel off the skins gently and save to flavor the broth or make tomato salt .
After the little love apples are stripped, it’s time to put on some clothes. Chef John has a pretty good recipe for this , but I enjoy experimenting with different vinegars, herbs, and other condiments. This is the main template I’m using:
- 2 tablespoons of really good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- A pinch of salt
- A couple of ground fresh peppers
- Other to taste
I understand that such ambiguity may cause anxiety among loyal followers of recipes, but I accept freedom here. When I first made this salad, I chopped up a basil leaf and added a pinch of garlic powder. I added some garlic honey last night. To be honest, oil and vinegar with a little salt are enough, as tomatoes are pretty perfect as they are. (Well, if you skin them off. This skin is far from perfect.)
Anyway, once you’ve whipped up the dressing – maybe in a stone jar ? – Pour it over peeled tomatoes, cover them with plastic wrap and place in a bowl in the refrigerator for half an hour or so, giving them a slight swirl at least once while cooling.
Take them out of the oil bath, sprinkle with a little flaked salt and enjoy how they melt rather than explode in your mouth, and how your vinaigrette sticks to the tomato pulp rather than sliding off its smooth skin. (I also think peeled tomatoes are great for those drunken Bloody Mary bombs, but that’s another experiment for another day.)