Asian Recipes and Cooking Guide

Cooking Tips, Kitchen Skills and Recipes.....

Tomato salad makes a colorful accompaniment to many dishes. This recipe has a delicious spicy flavor and makes an excellent salad for a picnic or buffet. It is also suitable for vegans and will suit anyone on a meat-free or diary-free diet.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

4 large ripe tomatoes

1 small fresh red chili

1 garlic clove

1 oz/25 g fresh basil

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Fresh crusty bread, to serve

To garnish:

Fresh basil sprigs

Lemon wedges

Method:

Bring a tea kettle of water to a boil. Place the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl, then pour over enough boiling water to cover them. Let them soak for 2-4 minutes, then lift out of the water and cool slightly. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, gently pierce the skins with the tip of a knife. The skins should now be easy to remove. Discard the skins, then chop the tomatoes and place them in a large salad bowl.

Seed and finely chop the chili, then chop the garlic. Rinse and finely chop the basil, then add it to the tomatoes in the bowl with the chili and the garlic. Mix the oil, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar together in a separate bowl, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the salad and toss together well. Garnish with basil sprigs and lemon wedges, and serve immediately with fresh crusty bread.

Happy Cooking,

Carol