Marinated Tomato Salad

When the sun comes out, there’s nothing that makes me happier than a good tomato salad. I’m talking ripe, juicy tomatoes in different shapes and colours here, crunchy bread for soaking up the fragrant tomato juices, nice oil, flaky sea salt, then capers or anchovies, or even better, both! Why complicate things when simple is always best!?

I’ve snuck a tomato salad into both my cookbooks, firstly in Salad Feasts with burrata, nectarine and salsa verde (a crowd-pleaser of a recipe that made the front cover). Then in the anchovy chapter of Tin Can Magic with sweet, roasted peppers and a punchy anchovy dressing. 

The method below is my go-to tomato salad in its simplest, purest form. My team and I will eat this on repeat for lunch at Elliott’s for the rest of the summer. For now, with the last of the wild leek flowers we pickled at the end of Spring.

Serves 4

Takes 15 minutes

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2 slices good-quality bread 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for the tomatoes 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes for the tomatoes

550g ripe tomatoes, at room temperature (a variety of colours is nice) 

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

pinch of caster sugar 

pinch of fennel seeds

pinch of chilli flakes

(optional, 6 anchovies, preserved in oil)

(optional, 1 teaspoon capers, brine drained)

First, preheat your oven to 180c (fan). Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks then toss in the oil and salt. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden and crisp. (Keep an eye on them as different types of bread will need more or less time). Allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, roughly chop the tomatoes - aim for big, random shapes, not uniform dice. Throw into a mixing bowl along with the oil, salt, vinegar, sugar, fennel seeds and chilli flakes (plus anchovies and capers if using). Toss to dress the tomatoes, then taste, you may want to season with more salt, or throw in a pinch more sugar.  

Once the croutons have cooled, gently toss through the tomatoes, allowing some of the croutons to absorb some of those fragrant juices and some of the croutons to remain crunchy.

Serve up as is, or with burrata, tinned fish, whatever you fancy!

Tips for tomatoes:

Please, whatever you do, keep them out the fridge 
Since tomatoes are at their happiest in the sunshine, a cold fridge is definitely not the place for storage if you’re wanting to get the most flavour out of them. Keep them on your kitchen counter, where they’ll continue to ripen and sweeten before being cooked or eaten.

Give them a squeeze for ripeness 
If you’re eating them raw, pick tomatoes that are plump, with a smooth skin and fresh, sweet fragrance. You’ll sense any that are on the turn, as their skin will begin to shrivel slightly. Older ones are ideal for grating over a steaming bowl of spaghetti. Or if you’ve got quite a few, they make a brilliant pulp for garlic-rubbed toast or for stirring into a summery bean soup.

Chop them like you’re drunk
We eat with our eyes first right!? So throwing together different colours and shapes of tomato is one of the easiest ways to offer something beautiful for supper. Large beef tomatoes naturally suit being sliced into thick rounds, while some of the smaller and medium ones look nice cut on a rough angle. This is not the place for uniform dice. 

Substitutes & Serving suggestions:

Pairing with herbs
Of course basil is the obvious match for any tomato-based meal, but they work nicely which all sorts of herbs, both dried and fresh. Tarragon or dill will impart an aniseedy edge, whilst oregano and mint will take them down more of a classic Mediterranean route.

Make friends with fruit
Tomatoes are happy bedfellows with other juicy fruits. They are brilliant with torn ripe peaches and nectarines, or even strawberries, raspberries or cherries. Stick to what’s in season so the flavours and textures compliment each other.

Something crunchy
While I’ve used brioche here, any crusty bread will give you a delicious crunch when toasted and it’s a great way of using up stale loaves. Try sourdough, focaccia or ciabatta torn into rough chunks. Some toasted almonds or seeds would also make a good substitute.

Other additions
Olives and capers are a classic addition, if you’re into tinned fish, anchovies, grilled sardines and mackerel would be delicious. And if you want to push the tomatoes further serve alongside fresh, creamy burrata drizzled in olive oil or crumble over some good quality feta or ricotta salata.