Heirloom Tomato Salad with Shallots, Radicchio and Crispy Kale

It's officially tomato season ~ Hooray! My absolute favorite food (scientifically a fruit, not a vegetable) with hundreds of ways to prepare them. Letting the natural flavor shine through in a recipe in their purest form is the most delicious and gratifying. This recipe has a little shallot & radicchio salad which pairs well - and the julienned crispy kale on top, which adds depth and crunch. No fancy dressing here. I love the juxtaposition of a great fruity olive oil (or herbal oil) and a reduced balsamic vinegar syrup with a kick of cracked black pepper.

Another photo of these beautiful Organic Heirloom Tomatoes! Dressed with a bright green Herbal Oil and Balsamic Syrup. Petite Basil from my garden adorns the plate.

Simply heavenly to behold and enjoy.

Heirloom tomatoes have rich tapestry of colors, the diversity and depth of flavor, and the general beauty of the tomatoes provide an experience that your average grocery tomato just can't match. Each variety really does have their own unique flavor and texture. Heirlooms are plants that have been around for generations, handed down from gardener to gardener.

All tomatoes ripened on the vine have a substantial amount of acid, but they vary greatly in the proportion of sugars. As a general rule, red tomatoes are the most acid of the various colors while yellows are the most sweet. The pinks, blacks, browns, purples, greens, whites and striped all have varying acid/ sugar combinations.

What a pleasure it was to meet Jennifer this past Saturday at The Greenwich, Ct. Farmers' Market. She is owner of Farming 101, and grows and sells dozens of varieties of organic heirloom tomatoes (and beautiful flowers as well). Yes, crowds were abound as shoppers were astonished by the beauty, selection and colors of her display. With names such as " aunt ruby's german green" and "brown berry" every tomato lover had something to learn.

I bought a few pounds; wanted to take home every different size and hue. My first thought for a recipe was to make it as simple as possible, not to mask the natural summer tomato flavor. Down the way, I couldn't help but find some crisp dinosaur kale and the most beautiful radicchio I have ever seen (see photo). Crispy kale chips are a healthy craze right now, so I thought I would try slivering the kale into a julienne before baking them. My new favorite garnish! A very intense, bold flavor with a high concentration antioxidants and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. 

Enjoy the smell and taste of summer...

I'll be slicing some more tomatoes tomorrow from my box... thinking of grilled pizza with a smear of pesto goat cheese, multi colored tomatoes and verigated oregano...

Karen

Removing the stems from the kale leaves

Rolling the leaves, cutting into a thin chiffonade

Ready to bake; rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt

Baking the kale on parchment paper

The finished crispy kale

My tomato box - grown by Farming 101

Fresh from the farmers' market - radicchio, fresh shallots with tops and garlic

Shallot and radicchio with balsamic syrup and herbal oil

Some of the offerings of Farming 101

Jennifer of Farming 101 - she's almost sold out!