Heirloom Tomato Salad

Ever been to a potluck and noticed that many of the guests have brought identical items? Watermelon, pretzels, chips, oh and look, more watermelon, pretzels and chips. Hey, it's not that we don't like those snacks, we do. Especially the watermelon. We're just saying -that sometimes, potluck food can get a bit...redundant. Well not anymore J & J peeps. Here’s something you can bring that definitely won't be a duplicate on your next potluck table. It’s exactly what a summer salad should be: simple and delicious. So, if you’re a fellow tomato lover, and you're tired of bringing the 'same old' potluck dish, then we’re sure you’ll love this recipe.

Choose a variety of different colored heirlooms and you'll makes this dish even more vibrant and flavorful. Throw in some homemade croutons, and you’ve got yourself some perfect little sponges that will soak up all that extra yummy juice (‘cause you can’t really slurp it up at a potluck like you would at home – remember your etiquette people, come on!)

What you'll need:

Fresh Italian bread

½ cup + 2 tbs olive oil

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, chopped in various sizes (be sure to include a variety of colors to make this dish more attractive)

1 Tbs Dijon mustard

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

1 bunch fresh basil, torn into small pieces

Croutons

Pre-heat oven to 400 C. Slice the bread into 8 large slices and them into large squares for your croutons. Toss in a bowl with ½ cup of olive oil, making sure to coat the bread evenly. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Once done set aside till ready to serve the salad.

Salad

Whisk mustard, lemon juice and white wine vinegar together. Slowly whisk in 2 Tbs of olive oil. Add the tomatoes and basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper. Just before you are ready to serve add croutons and toss the salad again to be sure the croutons are thoroughly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately so the croutons don’t get too soggy. Remember - only slurp at home!