Tomato salad will be juicy and sweet if you add 1 unusual ingredient — perfect for summer
Tomatoes are a staple ingredient in many homes, but you might not have thought of this pairing before.
Thinking of what to eat when it’s warm outside can be particularly tricky, and the thought of standing over the hob or turning the oven on might be one you dread. Thankfully, it’s also a time of year when plenty of fresh produce is at its peak ripeness, meaning they can be used in recipes that don’t even require any cooking.
Despite being enjoyed year-round, the best-tasting tomatoes are usually those harvested over the summer months. While they might make for a tasty and rich tomato soup in the cooler months, swapping this out for a refreshing salad in the summer can make dinner time something to look forward to. You might have tried pairing them with basil and mozzarella for a caprese salad, but one recipe producer has recommended pairing tomatoes with something slightly sweeter.
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In an article for The Kitchn, Rachel Perlmutter revealed that she pairs tomatoes with plums for a refreshing summery salad that’s “juicy, crunchy, tart, savoury and sweet all at once.”
August marks the beginning of plum season in the UK, meaning it’s perfect timing to try the recipe ahead of any lunch or dinner parties you might have planned, but Rachel said it also “keeps well for transport, so it’s ideal for picnics”.
Making enough for eight portions, it can also be made ahead of time and simply kept in the fridge. If you plan on doing this, it’s best not to add the dressing until you’re ready to eat it, as this can result in your fresh fruit and vegetables going soggy.
To go with the salad, Rachel makes a simple vinaigrette using lemon and sumac, a spice made from the dried and ground berries of the sumac plant that’s known for its smoky and fruity flavour.
Often used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, sumac is readily available at most UK supermarkets, including Tesco, where it’s sold for £1, and Waitrose for £1.70.
Taking less than 30 minutes to prepare and assemble, you can use whichever variety of plum, tomato, or cucumber you find, but Rachel warns not to skimp on the quality of your fruit and vegetables for this recipe.
“The only important thing is that the salad is juicy, refreshing, and full of flavour”, she said, recommending plums that are still slightly firm so they don’t fall apart.
How to make a refreshing tomato and plum salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- Two tbsp olive oil
- Two tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- One tsp honey
- One tsp sumac
For the salad:
- Four cups medium tomatoes cut in half
- Four plums thinly sliced
- One cucumber thinly sliced
- One red onion thinly sliced
- Half a cup of fresh mint, basil or coriander
- Salt and pepper
Method
Make the vinaigrette by mixing the lemon juice, olive oil, honey and sumac together in a bowl.
Add your tomatoes, plums, cucumbers and red onion into the bowl with the dressing and give it a good mix.
Season with salt and pepper before mixing again. If you have time, cover and leave in the fridge for an hour to let the flavours marinate, and add your fresh herbs before serving.
