I don’t think I need to mention again how much I LOVE tomatoes. I made this salad last night to serve with steak because I needed to use my Italian basil. We were away for vacation and the basil grew out of control! I whipped this salad together with just a few ingredients I already had in my kitchen. When tomatoes are this sweet in the summer, you don’t really need to add much to them. I used pearl tomatoes on the vine, but you could use any sweet tomato that is available in your store. Grape or heirloom tomatoes would be delicious as well. This salad could be served as an appetizer or side dish. It is so fresh and light – perfect for any summer meal!

Recipe
Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. pearl tomatoes, quartered
20 to 25 basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place tomatoes into a medium bowl.
2. Stack basil leaves on top of one another and roll into a log. Thinly slice basil and add to the tomatoes.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently mix with a spoon to combine.
4. Marinate for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.