Heirloom Tomato Salad with Hazelnut Gremolata
The key to salads like this is bold flavor in combination with bold color. Crisp green lettuce leaves, vibrant heirloom tomatoes, dots of bold olives, and purple feathery micro greens will give you this rainbow effect. Not only will you get a color-packed plate of veg, but it will also be loaded with mouthwatering punches of flavor.
You can definitely make your vinaigrette the old-school way by slowly drizzling in your olive oil while whisking your vinegar, but shaking it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid is another way to sheer this sheep. It’ll save you a little washing up and be easy to store. Refrigerate for further salads, but don’t stop there. Vinaigrettes can be drizzled over hummus or toast with smashed beans or avocado. It also adds a delightful twang when swirled into a creamy soup. Vinaigrettes aren’t just for salads!
I also love a little nutty crunch in my salads. Adding hazelnuts to this gremolata provides just that. Gremolata also has multiple uses: toss in with potato salad, sprinkle over pasta, drop a tablespoon over soup. I love this stuff! However, it won’t keep in the fridge for more than a couple of days, so make small-ish amounts and use it up. If your hazelnuts aren’t toasted, just place them on a silicone/parchment-lined sheet tray and bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes, tossing every 3-5 minutes. If they still have skins on, transfer them to a clean kitchen towel and rub off the skins. (Don’t worry if some nuts still have a little skin attached). Cool completely, then chop. I usually make a cup or so at a time to add to other dishes or just nibble straight from the fridge.
The Recipe
Yield: 4 sides
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette – makes about 1 ¼ cup
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ small shallot
1 garlic clove – grated/finely minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
½ tsp Diamond kosher salt
8-10 grinds freshly ground black pepper
½ cup evoo – the good stuff!
Gremolata – makes about ¼ cup
1 garlic clove – grated/finely minced
2 tsp white wine vinegar
½ cup fresh flatleaf parsley
¼ preserved lemon peel (or zest of 1 lemon)
2 Tbsp toasted hazelnuts – roughly chopped
Salad
6-8 little gem lettuce leaves
3-5 romaine lettuce
1 large heirloom tomato – cut into ½ wedges/slices
6 Castelvetrano olives – pits removed and torn into pieces
Handful of microgreens or sprouts - optional
Couple of pinches of flaked Maldon sea salt
Directions:
For the Vinaigrette
1. Add all ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until fully combined. Set aside until ready to use. Store leftovers in the fridge for future recipes. If it solidifies in the fridge, remove lid and microwave for 20 seconds, or so, and stir to combine. If you are microwave averse, drop the jar in a pot/bowl of hot water for about 20 minutes to liquify. Stir to combine and break up any semisolid bits of oil.
For the Gremolata
1. Grate/finely mince the garlic clove into a bowl and toss in vinegar while you get the rest of the ingredients prepped. This will take the bite out of the garlic so it’s more palatable.
2. Remove flesh from the preserved lemon wedge and return to the jar. Gently scrape away any white pith from the peel and discard. Rinse the peel well and then finely chop into roughly 1/8” pieces. Add to the bowl.
3. Finely chop your parsley and add to the bowl with the hazelnuts and toss with a spoon to combine.
For the Salad
1. Wash and dry the lettuce leaves. Break into 2” pieces, keeping them as pretty as possible. Lay on a platter and top with wedges of the tomato.
2. Sprinkle the gremolata, olives, and microgreens/sprouts all over the salad
3. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette (you can also leave it for your guests to dress their portions of salad themselves), then sprinkle a couple of pinches of flaked Maldon sea salt all over.
