Strawberry (and Tomato) Fields Forever
Readers, where you at? I know it’s been yet another extended absence on my part, but I hope you’re all well and eager to read my latest update. Exciting things, for sure, have been happening.
The most exciting and important thing is that Liz got her second vaccine dose on Friday! She’s now immunized and I couldn’t be happier. That’s a huge worry off of my plate, and I hope all of you are getting your vaccines as well.
Also, I am proud to announce that I’m the new Food Editor of apt613! Yours truly is going to have a hand in all the food, drink and restaurant content on this ever-growing Ottawa lifestyle site. As you may or may not know, apt613 was responsible for publishing some of my first pieces early on, so it’s a pleasure to be working with them in a more official capacity.
All of this means more on the books writing work, which I’m not complaining about. It’s just hard to find the time for this lil’ ol’ pro-bono blog sometimes. But I still enjoy sharing with you all like this, so fear not. Mind of a Former Chef isn’t going anywhere… for better or for worse.
Getting back to Liz’s second vaccination, she was feeling a bit under the weather last night and wanted something fresh and light for dinner. One of her favorite summertime recipes was just what the doctor ordered. It’s a little early in the season for it, but I was happy to serve her tomato and strawberry salad.
Tomatoes and strawberries are natural friends that most people don’t associate with each other. Many things that tomatoes love, strawberries love also. Things like olive oil, black pepper, basil, balsamic vinegar, bocconcini and Parmesan cheeses.
Of course, there’s not much else to say about a dish like this. The more in-season and ripe your tomatoes and strawberries are, the better your salad will be. Toss lightly, season liberally, and taste, taste, taste. These flavours work so well together that they do most of the work for you. If you bust this dish out when tomato and strawberry seasons peak and overlap, it’s a 100% slam dunk, harder to mess up than to make.
Tomato & Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
- 595g (21oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 510g (18oz.) strawberries, stems discarded, thinly sliced
- 200g (7oz.) baby bocconcini, drained and halved
- 1 bunch basil, leaves only, roughly torn
- 100g (3.5oz.) Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Method:
- Gently toss together the tomatoes, strawberries, bocconcini, basil and Parmesan, just until evenly mixed.
- Season the salad well with salt and pepper, tossing gently again to distribute the seasoning evenly
- Drizzle olive oil around the perimeter of the bowl, toss gently to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle just a few drops of vinegar over the salad, toss and taste for seasoning. The vinegar should just register as little sparks of sweet sourness through the mellow fat of the olive oil. Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve immediately.
What? It’s a salad? How many steps did you expect? As an aside, if you chop the tomatoes a bit more, this makes an absolutely heavenly topping for a summertime bruschetta.
Speaking of summertime, a beautiful bowl of ripe cherries is the perfect follow-up to this salad.
So, that’s it! Liz was happy to be served this fresh, fruity salad in bed as she recovered from her post-shot malaise. These flavours are tried and true: tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil are cornerstone Italian flavours. The addition of ripe, sweet strawberries is a no-brainer.
Do you guys out there have a favorite summer salad? What do you think of this simple little number? I’d love to know in the comments below, or via email! Until next time, friends! Get vaccinated and stay safe!
