over the years i have made no secret about the fact that i am in love with tomatoes. fresh summer tomatoes from the vine are unparalleled as far as i’m concerned. and now that my friend’s and family’s tomato plants are pumping out plump summer gems, i’m getting many texts and emails asking me what to do with them.

and my best advice is to keep it simple. don’t put them in your fridge. don’t cook them. don’t marinate them. try to eat them in their rawest forms as soon as you can. each different variety (try as many as you can from your market or produce store while they are in season and at their best) has it’s own unique flavor. i like to enhance those flavors with a little salt on the tomato itself and rich, bold, but cooling flavors to enhance the sweet, tangy flavor of tomatoes. pistachios, sharp stilton blue cheese and peppery arugula really increase the glory of summer tomatoes in this dish.

the best part is, no cooking required (no one wants to turn on the stove or oven right now) and can be made up in a matter of minutes.

stilton & summer tomato salad with chimichurri

serves: 4

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 5 minutes

total time: 15 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 lb mixed summer tomatoes, sliced about one fourth an inch thick. 4 cups arugula. .5 cup sliced stilton cheese. .25 cup pistachios, roughly chopped. 1 tbs chopped fresh chives. 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley. 1 tbs chopped fresh basil. .5 cup olive oil. .25 cup red wine vinegar. 1 tbs honey. .1 tsp minced garlic. 5 tsp red pepper flakes (you can leave this out if you don’t want your dish to be spicy at all). 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper.

start by making your chimichurri. combine the herbs, oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, half the salt and pepper and the pepper flakes together in a bowl. stir well to combine and set aside.

layer your tomatoes onto a platter. season with the remaining salt and pepper.

top with arugula, stilton and sprinkle with the pistachios.

drizzle your chimichurri over the salad.

serve and enjoy.

xo, a

stilton & summer tomato salad with chimichurri

serves: 4

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 5 minutes

total time: 15 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 lb mixed summer tomatoes, sliced about one fourth an inch thick. 4 cups arugula. .5 cup sliced stilton cheese. .25 cup pistachios, roughly chopped. 1 tbs chopped fresh chives. 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley. 1 tbs chopped fresh basil. .5 cup olive oil. .25 cup red wine vinegar. 1 tbs honey. 1 tsp minced garlic. .5 tsp red pepper flakes (you can leave this out if you don’t want your dish to be spicy at all). 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper.

start by making your chimichurri. combine the herbs, oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, half the salt and pepper and the pepper flakes together in a bowl. stir well to combine and set aside. layer your tomatoes onto a platter. season with the remaining salt and pepper. top with arugula, stilton and sprinkle with the pistachios. drizzle your chimichurri over the salad. serve and enjoy.

we are just a few days away from the official start of summer and i am THRILLED. i have always been a summer lover and as i look back at the last thirty years, it is becoming very clear that the food was a big part of that sweet affection. 

grilling and juicy summer fruits are big parts of my strong feelings about summer and they collide perfectly in this salad. now if you don’t have a grill, or hell, you are one of those fruit in your salad haters, don’t be deterred. you can easily serve this salad with out grilling your nectarines and if you want to sub the nectarines for a grilled protein like chicken or steak, you will still be thrilled. 

grilled nectarine + goat cheese salad

serves: 4

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 10 minutes 

total time: 20 minutes

ingredients: 8 cups mixed greens. 3 nectarines sliced from the pit but with flat edges, not wedge slices so they can be grilled. 1 cup thinly sliced red onions. .5 cup chopped walnuts. .5 cup crumbled goat cheese. 25 cup olive oil. .25 cup red wine vinegar. .25 cup apple cider vinegar. 1 tbs honey. 10 mint leaves, finely chopped. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper. marigold petals, optional.

start by preheating your grill to a medium high heat. while your grill is heating, combine 2 tbs of olive oil and half the salt and pepper. drizzle it over your nectarines and set them aside. combine the remaining olive oil with the two vinegars, the honey and the remaining salt and pepper. add your thinly sliced red onions to the mix and set them aside.

when your grill is nice and hot, place your nectarines on the grill, flesh side down and grill them till they have some grill marks and the flesh is nice and soft. about 5-7 minutes.

remove them from the grill and start to assemble your salad.

top your mixed greens with your flower petals if you are using them. layer on your pickled onions, the peaches, the goat cheese and the walnuts.

drizzle everything with a few tbs of the onion pickling liquid.

serve and enjoy.

xo, a

grilled nectarine + goat cheese salad

serves: 4

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 10 minutes 

total time: 20 minutes

ingredients: 8 cups mixed greens. 3 nectarines sliced from the pit but with flat edges, not wedge slices so they can be grilled. 1 cup thinly sliced red onions. .5 cup chopped walnuts. .5 cup crumbled goat cheese. 25 cup olive oil. .25 cup red wine vinegar. .25 cup apple cider vinegar. 1 tbs honey. 10 mint leaves, finely chopped. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp freshly ground pepper. marigold petals, optional.

start by preheating your grill to a medium high heat. while your grill is heating, combine 2 tbs of olive oil and half the salt and pepper. drizzle it over your nectarines and set them aside. combine the remaining olive oil with the two vinegars, the honey and the remaining salt and pepper. add your thinly sliced red onions to the mix and set them aside. when your grill is nice and hot, place your nectarines on the grill, flesh side down and grill them till they have some grill marks and the flesh is nice and soft. about 5-7 minutes. remove them from the grill and start to assemble your salad. top your mixed greens with your flower petals if you are using them. layer on your pickled onions, the peaches, the goat cheese and the walnuts. drizzle everything with a few tbs of the onion pickling liquid. serve and enjoy.