Today was my first day back to the Union Square Farmers Market after a month-long hiatus. I was supposed to have made a spin off our Ricotta & Herb Stuffed Tomatoes, but our ricotta source did not work out as we had planned. So instead I made a Tomato and Herb Salad with corn, shallots, and cape gooseberries. I dressed it with a simple vinaigrette of lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and olive oil. The fact that our original dish did not work out was a blessing in disguise, because what I prepared today got rave reviews and is going to be something I will repeat over and over. As I promised everyone at the market today, here is the recipe below:

Tomato and Herb Salad
2 medium to large heirloom tomatoes (mix together different colors if possible)
1 ear of corn, shucked
2 tablespoons of thinly sliced shallot
About 4-5 sage leaves, 4-5 leaves of basil, a few mint leaves, and half the needles from a sprig of rosemary.
A handful of cape gooseberries (optional), husked
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

Remove the hard tip of the tomatoes, where it hangs from on the vine, with a paring knife.
Slice the tomato in half vertically, then slice each half in half vertically again. Now slice the tomatoes horizontally in very thin pieces. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt.
Lay the corn cob flat across your cutting board, and slice off the kernels. Add to the bowl with the tomatoes.
Finely chop the herbs, and toss into the bowl along with the thinly sliced shallot.
Halve and/or quarter the cape gooseberries, if using, and add to the mix as well.
Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and olive oil. Taste for seasoning and acid/oil balance and adjust if necessary. Pour over the salad and toss well.
Serves 4 as side dish.

This salad goes really well with simple things, like grilled fish or chicken. Wade from P.E. and D.D. Seafood gave me a raw scallop to try with the salad. Because it was well seasoned, all I did was pop the scallop in my mouth followed by a spoonful of the salad. It played such a harmony in my mouth that I was all smiles for the rest of the day. I recommend trying this recipe with some fresh scallops tossed together and eaten immediately, like a ceviche. Don’t be afraid of raw scallops- if you can get them fresh and local like I did, there is absolutely nothing to fear.

Happy Monday!