Local Heirloom Tomato Berry Salad

Composed salads lend themselves to so many possibilities — they have become my go-to salad.

For breakfast I’ll sauté mushrooms with a cumin seed pop, spread them on a plate, tuck in a few slices of tomato, throw some microgreens on top, sprinkle salt and red chile powder and a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice. In the evening, mustard seed roasted carrots plated with diced mango or peaches and mint leaves can be the start of a light dinner salad.

Given how short the treasured local heirloom tomato season is here in Texas, I find many ways to enjoy them, from raw in a salad to cooked into a masala or a chutney. Here is a truly local salad made with heirloom tomatoes from a small farm in Alvin, local blackberries and blueberries and cashew butter dressing.

serves 2 to 4

ingredients: salad

3 to 4 medium-size heirloom tomatoes

1/2 cup blackberries or blueberries

1 large purple Japanese radish, sliced thin

Few sprigs of cilantro leaves

Pinch of sea salt

Juice of 1 lemon

ingredients: cashew dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon cashew butter

1/2 serrano pepper, minced

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

instructions

Chill the tomatoes in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Meanwhile, make the dressing.

Over medium heat in a small saucepan, warm the olive oil, and pop the mustard seeds. Immediately turn the heat off and whisk in the cashew butter, serrano, orange juice, salt, and black pepper. If the dressing gets too thick, add a few more tablespoons of orange juice. Set aside.

To plate the salad, slice the tomatoes in half and cut 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Arrange them on four salad plates. Place the berries and radish in and around the tomatoes and tuck cilantro sprigs in as well. Sprinkle salt and squeeze lemon juice over all the plates. Spoon the cashew dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

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