Heirloom tomato and strawberry salad

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 25 minutes

Raid your potager for a summertime salad to remember.

Ingredients

• 8 heirloom tomatoes (pineapple, green zebra, beefsteak, etc.)
• 2 shallots
• Scant ½ cup (100 ml) white Pineau des Charentes vinegar
• 1 cup (4 ¼ oz./125 g) Mara strawberries (cultivated woodland strawberries)
• 1 small bunch basil
• 1 small bunch purple basil
• ½ cup (110 ml)
• Passedat olive oil*
• Fleur de sel de Camargue (Camargue sea salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1Wash the tomatoes, remove the stalks, and cut a cross in the base of each one with a small knife to make them easier to peel. Immerse in boiling water for a few seconds, then in cold water; slip off the skins and reserve.

2Chop the shallots finely. Place them in a small pan with the vinegar and cook over a high heat until all the vinegar has evaporated. Reserve.

3Wash the strawberries, remove their stalks, and slice them lengthways.

4Wash both bunches of basil and pick the leaves off the stalks.

5Slice the tomatoes thinly and arrange on a serving dish with the strawberry slices between them. Sprinkle over the shallots in vinegar and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper, then garnish with the basil leaves.

CHEF’S NOTES

The sweetness of the strawberries marries perfectly with the acidity of the ripe, summer tomatoes in this salad.