Tomato Salad with Coconut Dressing

1.7

(3)

3 Reviews

Pickled peaches, fresh herbs, and roasted and fresh tomatoes come together in this salad, which is mixed with a sweet, tart, and tangy coconut dressing.

Gregory Gourdet

Updated on August 3, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Pickled Peach and Roasted Tomato Salad with Coconut Dressing — Photo:
Jose Mandojana

Active Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 20 mins

Servings:

6 to 8 servings

There’s an interplay of savory and sweet in this dish, with tomatoes that become intensely concentrated from oven roasting combined with chile- and vinegar-brined peaches, plus fresh juicy summer berries. Gourdet features peaches here, but you can rely on other stonefruit like nectarines or plums. Choose ripe, but firm fruit to prevent the flesh from becoming overly soft while it pickles. Topped with a tangy coconut dressing, fresh herbs, and edible flower petals, this beautifully colorful salad is a natural for a summer entertaining.

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Ingredients

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Pickled Peaches

3 medium shallots, sliced into thin 1/8-inch rings (about 2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound ripe peaches and/or nectarines, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (about 4 peaches)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Coconut Dressing

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 large limes)
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 small fresh Scotch bonnet chile or habanero chile, finely chopped (2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon flaky sea salt
1 1/2 cups mixed fresh berries (such as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries), halved if large
1/4 cup lightly packed mixed fresh herbs (such as basil, mint, and cilantro)
Edible flower petals (optional)

Directions

Make the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss together tomatoes, garlic, basil, oil, salt, and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet until evenly coated. Arrange mixture in a single layer on the pan with tomato facing cut-sides up and positioned as much as possible in the center of the pan rather than close to pan sides. Roast in preheated oven until tomatoes shrivel and flavor is concentrated, 55 minutes to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, make the Pickled Stone Fruit

Stir together shallots and kosher salt in a medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Add stone fruit, and stir to combine. Bring sugar and vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, and pour hot vinegar mixture over stone fruit mixture. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Set aside.

Make the Coconut Dressing

Whisk together coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, chile, thyme, and kosher salt in a small bowl. Whisk in oil until well combined.

Make the Salad

Arrange heirloom tomatoes on a platter in a single layer; sprinkle evenly with sea salt. Scatter roasted tomatoes over top. Arrange pickled peaches, using a slotted spoon, over the tomatoes. Top salad with berries, and drizzle with reserved dressing; sprinkle with herbs, and garnish with edible flowers (if using).

To make ahead

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes can be prepared through Step 1 and stored, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. Pickled Stone Fruit can be made through Step 2 and stored, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.