This sweet and tangy Heirloom Tomato and Rice Salad is perfect for serving at picnics or BBQs. Get the recipe below.
Summer salads
I love making salads during the summer when it's hot I find I don't want to eat heavy meals and so something light and bright like a salad is much preferred.
What I love about summer is the amount of fresh produce that's available. The types of fruits and veggies available at this time of year also lend themselves to salad type dishes.
How to make my Heirloom Tomato and Rice Salad
Before we jump to the full recipe let's look at some of the key components.
Heirloom tomatoes
One such ingredient is the humble tomato. We buy tomatoes all year round but really they are at their best during the warmer months. A tomato still on the vine tastes of pure sunshine.
Heirloom tomatoes are a great option when making this salad as they all bring something slightly different to the dish and look fantastic too. We grow our own tomatoes and love to sow seeds from a range of varieties so it's easy to pull together a salad like this.
Marks & Spencers are a great place to buy heirloom tomatoes in the UK. Farmer's markets too will often sell them.
If you want to buy online, check out Isle of Wight tomatoes - I buy from them all the time!
The dressing
The dressing is made from balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sugar and salt.
The salt helps to draw out the juices from the tomatoes and the sugar just enhances the flavour. The balsamic vinegar gives the dressing a rich tang and the extra virgin olive oil gives a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.
The rice soaks up all of the sweet juices from the tomatoes and tangy dressing.
The recipe
Now we've talked about some of the key ingredients, let's cook!
Heirloom Tomato and Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 150 g rice
- 450 g Heirloom tomatoes sliced, halved or quartered dependant on size
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 0.125 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil cut into ribbons
Instructions
- Add your rice to a pan with 225ml of water. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down low and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. Once the water has been absorbed take off of the heat.
- In the meantime, toss your tomatoes with all of the dressing ingredients.
- Add the rice and toss again.
- Serve on a platter with the ribbons of basil over the top.
Nutrition
Seasonal ingredients
For more recipes made with ingredients that are in season over the summer months - check out the summer recipe collection.
Grow your own
Want to grow your own tomatoes? Find out all you need to know about growing fruit and vegetables all year round with my "Grow Your Own" series.
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