Summer has arrived when the markets are overflowing with crates of heirloom tomatoes. They come in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes. Nothing like the tasteless, waxy balls you get during the year, these are truly sun ripened, juicy and delicious and worth the wait. They are easy to grow in a small space too. I have pots of them on my small deck. These are just a few I have either grown or picked up at local markets over the summer - sweet Caspian Pink, Smoky Black Krims, Brandywine, Sungold and Sweet Million.
Yield: 4 side-dish servings
2 pounds mixed tomatoes ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound small mozzarella balls cut in half 2 avocados 6 canned anchovies 2 tablespoons capers Small bunch fresh basil 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons spoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Wash the tomatoes, pat them dry, slice them into quarters and place them in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. 2. Slice the mozzarella balls in half, dice the avocado and add them to the tomatoes. 3. Finely chop the anchovies and capers together, tear up the basil into small pieces and add. 4. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix to combine all the ingredients.