Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata, Torn Croutons, and Opal Basil
As soon we were old enough to fly alone, my sister and I would travel back east for a few weeks every summer to visit our grandmother in Connecticut. Our late-summer arrival always coincided with the peak of her beefsteak tomato crop. Every evening, we’d venture out to the backyard to pick tomatoes for that night’s salad. Still warm from the sun, those juicy red slices, sprinkled with salt, left an indelible impression on me. My next life-changing tomato experience was at Al Forno, in Providence, Rhode Island. The owners, George Germon and Johanne Killeen, would drive 35 miles to a tiny town called Little Compton to pick up crates and crates of big red beefsteak tomatoes from their favorite farmer. Slicing the tomatoes to order, they served them with red onion, salt, basil, oil, and vinegar. Again, so simple, yet one of the best things I’d ever tasted. I didn’t discover heirloom tomatoes until a few years later, when I got a job at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Amazed by the odd shapes and variety of colors, from white to orange to almost black, I sampled every variety I could get my hands on. At Lucques, our regular customers start asking for this heirloom salad in early June. It’s been on the menu every year since we opened and seems to signal that summer is finally here.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2
Cut the crust off the bread and tear the remaining loaf into rustic 1-inch pieces. Using your hands, toss the pieces with 2 tablespoons olive oil, squeezing the bread gently to help it absorb the oil. Toast on a baking sheet 12 to 15 minutes, stirring a few times, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy on the outside but still a little soft and tender inside.
Step 3
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the oregano, garlic, and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the vinegars. Whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil and taste for balance and seasoning.
Step 4
Stem the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Core the heirloom tomatoes. Cut half of them into wedges and set them aside. Then one by one, hold the remaining tomatoes on their sides and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Season the slices with the fleur de sel and some pepper. Place the slices overlapping on a large platter, spoon a little of the vinaigrette over them, and scatter a little basil on top.
Step 5
Cut the burrata into twelve slices, and tuck them in and around the slabs of tomato.
Step 6
Toss the heirloom wedges and cherry tomatoes gently in a large bowl with the sliced shallots, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, a pinch of pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning, adding more vinaigrette if you like. Gently toss in the croutons.
Step 7
Arrange the salad on the platter, piling it up in the center, allowing the slices of tomato and cheese to peek through. Scatter the parsley and remaining basil over the top of the salad.
