Recipe

Heirloom Tomato Salad With Light Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, optional
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves, optional
3 pounds heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
8 to 16 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, Maui, or Texas Sweet, halved, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
Edible flowers, for garnish, optional

To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegars, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking to combine. Set aside to allow flavors to come together while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Add chopped herbs, if using, and whisk to combine.
On a large platter, arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices in overlapping fashion and scatter the sliced onions over the top. Drizzle the vinaigrette over all and serve immediately, garnished with the pine nuts and edible flowers, if desired.
Note: You may substitute other herbs to your liking ñ just make sure to use "soft" herbs, such as chervil, basil, chives, tarragon, mint, parsley, cilantro, etc.