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Tomato Salad With Crème Fraîche and Olive Granola

5.0

(1)

Tomato Salad with Crème Fraîche and Olive Granola on a white plate with utensils to the side
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by Gözde Eker

Peak season heirloom tomatoes don’t need much fanfare to shine. Here you’ll play up their natural sweetness and acidity with a rich swoosh of crème fraîche and a seedy savory granola-like topping for crunch. Salt-cured black olives (the wrinkly, oily-looking ones, as opposed to canned black olives) are the key to the textural topper. They turn slightly crisp and meaty in the oven and play nicely with the granola’s other savory elements: crunchy sunflower seeds, herbaceous fennel seeds, and salty-sweet soy sauce.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

½ cup salt-cured black olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1½ tsp. fennel seeds
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
½ tsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 lb. heirloom tomatoes, sliced into ½"-thick rounds
Kosher salt
1 8-oz. container crème fraîche
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Dill sprigs (for serving)
Flaky sea salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 375°. Toss ½ cup salt-cured black olives, pitted, coarsely chopped, ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds, 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, 1½ tsp. fennel seeds, and pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, ½ tsp. soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in an even layer and bake until golden brown, 14–16 minutes. Let granola cool.

    Step 2

    Arrange 2 lb. heirloom tomatoes, sliced into ½"-thick rounds, on a large plate or baking sheet; drizzle with oil and season with kosher salt. Gently turn to coat well.

    Step 3

    Stir one 8-oz. container crème fraîche and 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice in a small bowl to combine; season with kosher salt. Spread crème fraîche mixture across a platter, then top with seasoned tomatoes, leaving any juices on plate behind. Scatter granola and dill sprigs over and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

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