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Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad with Toasted Seeded Chèvre Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 3 Baskets Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes - room temperature - some whole - cut some in halves - some in quarters
  • 1/4 Red Onion - minced
  • 1 Ear of Corn - cut off the cob or 1/2 cup frozen and thawed

Dressing - adapted from my Italian Style Salsa Verde

  • 1/4 Cup Minced Fresh Basil
  • 3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Chives
  • 1 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons Capers - roughly chopped
  • 1 Shallot - minced
  • 2 Small Cloves Garlic - minced
  • 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt - or to taste
  • Dash Black Pepper

Toasted Seed Cheese Balls

  • 8 oz Chevre Cheese
  • 2/3 Cup Raw Pepitas
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons White Sesame Seeds
  • 1/3 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds

Instructions

Dressing

  1. Add everything to a medium bowl, mix together and set aside.
  2. Toasted Seed Cheese Balls
  3. In a large skillet, toast the pepitas seeds on medium heat.
  4. Stir often, for 2 minutes then add the sunflower and sesame seeds and stir until fragrant and lightly golden.
  5. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Approx. 3 - 5 minutes.
  6. Measure a teaspoon of the cheese and roll into a ball.
  7. Next, roll the cheese balls into the seeds as best you can, then add some seeds to the palm of your hands to roll more onto the cheese for full coverage.
  8. Place them into a covered container and refrigerate until the salad is ready.
  9. You will have some seeds leftover to add to individual salads.

Assemble

  1. Wash and dry the tomatoes.
  2. Cut some into quarters, halves and leave some whole.
  3. There are two ways you can pull it together.

  4. In a large bowl, mix everything but the cheese balls together.  Serve the cheese on the side.

  5. Arrange half the tomatoes on a large platter.
  6. Sprinkle on half the corn and half the onion, drizzle with the dressing and then add more tomatoes, corn and onion.

  7. Arrange some of the cheese balls around.

  8. Serve remaining cheese balls and seeds on the side.