Ingredients
Scale
- 2 Brandywine, Black Krim, or other heirloom tomatoes (about 1 1⁄2 pounds)
- 4 Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, or other heirloom tomatoes (about 1 pound)
- 1⁄4 cup (2 ounces) Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
- 12 dried culinary lavender flowers
- 8 pea tendrils or baby arugula leaves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- FOR THE HERB VINAIGRETTE
- Makes about 3 cups
- 1⁄2 cup (4 ounces) avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 shallot, halved lengthwise
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) aged red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon wildflower honey
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Cut the large tomatoes into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices. (Reserve ends for another use, such as making tomato sauce.) Cut the small tomatoes into quarters. Arrange 2 to 4 tomato slices on each of 4 plates. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the Herb Vinaigrette.
- Press the lavender flowers with the edge of a knife until they split. Sprinkle the tomato slices with some of the lavender. Top each salad with 4 to 6 tomato wedges. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle evenly with more lavender.
- Top the salads with pea tendrils, and sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper.
- FOR THE HERB VINAIGRETTE
- Heat 1⁄4 cup of the oil in a saucepan over medium. Add the shallot. Brown 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in vinegar. Cover, place over low heat, and cook until the shallot is tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender. Add the mustard, lemon juice, honey, thyme, and salt. Process on low speed 2 minutes until smooth.
- Remove center of the blender lid. With blender on low speed, slowly add the remaining 1⁄4 cup oil through the center of the blender lid and process until emulsified.
- Stir in the parsley.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Southern