Houstonist Cooks: Heirloom Tomato Salad

Houstonist is excited about the end of summer, and not because it means we'll get a break from the heat soon. We're natives, we can take it. Nay, we are excited because it means bumper crops of heirloom tomatoes popping up everywhere. Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated varieties that have been developed and passed down through generations of family farmers. These cultivars, as they are known, are selected for their desirable color and flavor. The varieties available range from green to purple, acidic to sweet and smoky. We mixed several cultivars in a salad with a minimal dressing, as these tomatoes hardly need any flavor boost.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

2 lbs assorted heirloom tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup shredded basil

Chop the tomatoes into bite sized chunks and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and olive oil. To shred basil, stack the leaves on top of each other and roll them up lengthwise. Slice horizontally to get strips. Add to the tomatoes and toss.

Photo credit Chiot's Run