The Motherlode Tomato Salad


Ingredients

* 2 1/4 pounds mixed ripe tomatoes, different shapes and colors

* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* A good pinch dried oregano

* Red wine or balsamic vinegar

* Extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated

* 1 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped

Depending on the size of your tomatoes, slice some in half, some into quarters and others into uneven chunks. Straightaway this will give you the beginnings of a tomato salad that’s really brave and exciting to look at and eat. Put the tomatoes into a colander and season with a good pinch of sea salt.

Give them a toss, season again and give a couple more tosses. The salt won’t be drawn into the tomatoes; instead it will draw any excess moisture out, concentrating all the lovely flavors. Leave the tomatoes in the colander on top of a bowl to stand for around 15 minutes, then discard any juice that has come out of them.

Transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle over the oregano. Make a dressing using 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, the garlic and the chile. Drizzle the tomatoes with enough dressing to coat everything nicely.