Cabbage and Apple Coleslaw

(about 4 servings)

Not too long ago I came across a post that suggested salting and draining cabbage beforehand would produce a nice crunchy coleslaw. Well, I happen to be one of those people who loves coleslaw especially after it's begun to wilt a bit. I usually slice my cabbage paper thin and prepare the coleslaw a few days ahead of time just to make sure I get the "right" texture.

If you slice your cabbage a bit thicker and consume it within a day or so, you can probably save yourself the time for salting, draining and squeezing the stuff if you enjoy yours on the crunchy side.

1/2 small cabbage, about 1 pound
1 carrot
1 apple
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp apple juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)

Slice the cabbage either in a food processor, with a mandolin or by hand. Place into a large mixing bowl.

Shred both the carrot and apple and add them to the cabbage.

Combine the mayonnaise, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour this over the cabbage mixture and toss until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sprinkle the poppy seeds over the salad, if using. Give everything a final toss.

Allow the salad to sit at least an hour before serving.

Oven Roasted Zucchini Salad

I used to make this as a topping for bruschetta or as a side for grilled chicken. These days I just serve it as a salad. Terrific flavors!

2 tbsp olive oil
2 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt free Italian seasoning (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, basil)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 lb zucchini
1 large red bell pepper
3 green onions, sliced
3 tbsp Pecorino Romano cut into very small dice
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp dried currants
pinch red pepper flakes
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut into small dice; about 1/2 an inch or slightly smaller. Add to the olive oil mixture and toss until coated.

Spread evenly over a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, cool and add to mixing bowl.

Wash and seed the red bell pepper. Cut into 1/4 inch dice and add to bowl. Add the sliced green onions, Pecorino Romano, parsley, currants and red pepper flakes.

Drizzle the white balsamic vinegar over everything and toss. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as needed. Serve

Broccoli Crunch Salad with Prosciutto and Feta

(about 4 servings)

I haven't set foot in Whole Foods since I left Texas. The closest one is in Seattle, I think. It's all fine. There's a small country market nearby that has great produce, sustainable fish and seafood, a good butcher and an adequate bulk food and spice section. I don't give WF much thought these days, although I was thinking about their Broccoli Crunch Salad the other day. I used to grab a tub or two whenever I was too lazy or busy to make my own.

This version is less sweet and more savory. It contains prosciutto in place of bacon and I have gotten into the habit of adding feta cheese of late because I love that briny goodness.

3.5oz mildly smoked lean prosciutto, diced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey, or more to taste

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces 

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tbsp cashews, toasted
3 tbsp dried currants
salt, if needed

Fry the prosciutto in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until it's browned and crispy. Stir in the red onion slices and cook until they are limp. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, apple cider vinegar and honey in a large bowl.

Add the broccoli, prosciutto and onion mixture, feta, cashews and currants. Toss until everything is evening coated with the dressing. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed.

Serve. This salad keeps really well, refrigerated.

Tomato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

(about 4 servings)

Local tomatoes are finally showing up at the market. This warm sweet and sour bacon vinaigrette is a delicious way to dress up this tasty and juicy fruit.

4 slices bacon
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp mustard
2 lb tomatoes, sliced
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4-6 fresh basil leaves, sliced

Chop the bacon and fry until crispy. Drain the bacon on a paper towel and remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the skillet.

Stir in the red onion and fry until soft. Meanwhile whisk together the vinegar, water, honey and mustard. Add this mixture to the onions. Cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat.


Place the sliced tomatoes on serving plates and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Divide the bacon between the plates.

Spoon the warm dressing over the salads and sprinkle with the basil leaves. Serve.

Raw Chioggia Beet Salad with Meyer Lemon

This festive looking salad is made with Chioggia beets. They are an Italian heirloom variety, known for their beautiful rings or stripes depending on which direction you cut them. A few years ago I tried growing these little beauties in my garden, but they didn't do very well in the heat.

Chioggia beets are a little sweeter than the regular fuchsia colored ones. They don't appear to stain your hands, at least not when prepared raw. I haven't tried cooking them yet as I was told they tend to lose their lovely stripes when heated.

for every 2 servings:
2-3 Chioggia beets, depending on their size
salt and freshly cracked pepper
juice from 1 small Meyer lemon, about 2-3 tbsp
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard

Scrub the beets really well. Slice off the tops and trim the roots.

Slice the beets as thin as possible. This is easiest if you use a mandoline. Arrange the slices into a serving bowl, lightly seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go along.

Combine the lemon juice, oil and mustard in a small jar with lid and shake well. Drizzle over the beet slices and serve.

Salad with Pear, Walnuts & Blue Cheese

(2-4 servings)

This delicious salad comes together in about 15 minutes. I often make a light meal out of it.

1 large Bartlett pear
2 tsp butter
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp juice
1/2 tsp mustard
salt, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups mixed greens such as baby spinach, baby chard and baby kale
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
3-4 oz blue cheese crumbled
freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Wash the pear and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

Heat the butter in a non stick skillet over medium heat and gently saute the diced pear for a few minutes. Drizzle the honey over the pear and remove from heat. Set aside.

Combine the vinegar, juice (apple might be nice, I only had black currant juice on hand) and mustard. Add salt to taste and stir well, then stir in the olive oil. Set aside.

Divide the greens, walnuts, blue cheese and pear between four salad plates. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, dust with freshly cracked pepper and serve.

Roasted Beets with Blue Cheese & Walnuts

(4-6 servings)

My move left me sore and exhausted, but I'm thrilled that's behind me. I have spent the better part of two weeks taking it easy and recuperating at a friend's house. My friend has the most amazing kitchen. Thing is, she doesn't cook and I have been so tired, I haven't felt much like cooking either. Instead, I have been happily consuming frozen dinners and small containers of yogurt, lol.

This beet salad will probably be the last thing I prepare for a while. (In a few days I'll be on my way to Santa Fe, MN.) I haven't cooked beets nearly as often as I did a few years ago. Back then I was consuming about two pounds of them a week. Too much of a good thing has its disadvantages.

This salad of roasted beets, blue cheese and toasted nuts is delicious. It makes me wish I'd made more use of this fabulous kitchen.

2 lbs small beets
3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3-4 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp very fine orange zest
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, as needed

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Wash the beets and trim off the leaves if they have any. Reserve those for another use. Place 2-3 beets onto squares of foil and enclose the foil around them until you have a small packet. You will have two to four of them depending on the size of your beets.

Place the packets onto a baking sheet and bake for about 50-70 minutes or until the beets have softened and can easily be pierced with a knife. Remove from oven. Open up the tops of the packets to prevent them from cooking further and cool until they can be handled.

Slip the peels off the beets, cut them into small wedges and place them into a large bowl.

Combine 3 tablespoons each of the vinegar and orange juice and stir in the orange zest. Taste, and add more vinegar or juice to your liking. Pour this mixture over the warm beets and toss until they are evenly coated. Cool the beets to room temperature.

To serve, top the beets with toasted walnuts, blue cheese and parsley. Add a pinch of salt and cracked pepper, if desired.

Almost 3 Ingredient Tuna Salad

I lost my job on Valentine’s Day.  After mulling things over for a week or so, a plan of sorts fell into place. I sold my old house. The movers will be here in a couple of days and by the end of this week I'll be living with friends. But, it really isn’t as dire as it sounds!

Next month I will head out on an extended road trip. It’s been over 5 years since my last vacation and I can’t wait to hit the road. I have no idea at all how long I will be gone. I'll be heading west (via Amarillo) to Santa Fe and Taos. From there I’m thinking of Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, The Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Petrified Forest and Phoenix before landing in San Diego. There’s so much to see in this country!

Once I’m in California, I’ll explore the southern coast and spend a bit of time in L.A. where I have family. Then I will head north to Santa Cruz and Capitola, two places I visited and loved years ago. I’m planning on exploring the entire coast right up to Canada.

I doubt I will be cooking much unless I rent something with a kitchenette for a week or so here and there. I do plan to continue blogging because I imagine I will come across some pretty amazing meals.

In any case, my cupboards are almost bare. For lunch today I managed to scrape together a really simple tuna salad. I used 3 ingredients, well 4 if you count the black pepper, lol.

I bound the salad together with mayonnaise because that’s all I had. You can lighten this up by replacing half or all of the mayo with plain yogurt or light sour cream, if you prefer.

2-3  tbsp dill pickles, finely diced

1-2 tbsp mayonnaise

5oz chunk light tuna packed in water and drained

a few grinds of black pepper, to taste

Place everything into a small bowl and combine until thoroughly mixed.

Serve.

Bacon, Lettuce, Cucumber & Tomato Salad Rolls

(8 rolls)

I'm moving soon, so I have been working at clearing out my pantry as productively as I can. I used my last tin of chickpeas for a tasty hummus yesterday, then packed up my food processor last night. This morning I came across half a package of Vietnamese spring roll wrappers and used those for my salad today.

Bacon, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, pickle and caper salad dressing went inside these wrappers. The rolls really didn't take that much time to make and they were delicious! Vietnamese wrappers are made from tapioca starch and rice flour; perfect if you can't tolerate gluten.

salad dressing
1 large dill pickle, finely diced
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 generous tbsp capers, drained
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika

Combine everything in a small bowl and set aside

rolls
8x  8-9 inch sheets rice spring roll wrappers
lukewarm water for soaking the wrappers
about 2-2 1/2 cups washed and dried spring lettuce mix
2/3 of an English cucumber, cut into 5 inch long matchsticks
2 large Roma tomatoes, cut into long matchsticks
freshly cracked black pepper
8 slices of bacon, cut in half and fried until crisp, drained and cooled

assembly
Soak the first rice wrapper in the water, then remove and place it evenly onto a flat surface. Drop another wrapper into the water to soften.

Place the lettuce towards one end of the wrapper leaving about an inch of space at the sides and about two inches at the top. If you are using a spring mix, then position the stems of the leaves inwards to prevent them from piercing the wrapper.

Spread about one generous tablespoon of dressing over the centre of the lettuce, then top with one or two more leaves. Place some cucumber and tomato over the leaves and sprinkle a bit of freshly cracked pepper. Add two half slices of bacon.

Gently pull the top edge of the rice wrapper over and tug it in underneath the lettuce and bacon filling. Roll towards you for about half a turn or so. Try keeping it as snug as possible. It might take a few tries to get the hang of it.

Pull the outer edge of the wrapper in towards the centre of the roll, then do the same with the other side (see photo above).

Finish rolling up the salad roll and set aside. Repeat until you have used up all of the wrappers. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Salad

(4-6 servings)

Freshly roasted bell pepper salads are wonderful! I've always had a fondness for red peppers, but if you prefer a colorful salad you could use two red, two yellow and two green bell peppers instead.

I've kept the seasoning for this salad simple, but if you are inclined, you could add a bit of fresh minced garlic, parsley or mint!

6 red bell peppers
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat *oven to 450°F.

Wash, then cut the bell peppers in half, lengthwise. Remove the seeds and place them cut side down in a single layer on a lined (foil or parchment paper will work) baking sheet. You can use an unlined sheet in a pinch, however you might end up with a bit of a cleaning chore.

Place the peppers into the middle of the oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes. When the skins have begun to blacken and puff up somewhat, remove the peppers from the oven. Allow them to cool. *I roast these in a small counter top convection oven, you might have to adjust the heat and/or roasting time a bit if using a larger conventional oven.

Slip the skins off the peppers. Slice the peppers into bite sized strips and place them into a bowl.

Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and drizzle one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to start. Toss the salad and taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. I will often add a touch more vinegar later because the peppers will release a bit of liquid if they have sat a while.

Polish Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise

(6-8 servings)

This salad is similar to Russian salad, sans the ham. I love the bits of apple in it, but you can leave that out if you prefer.

I made my own lemon flavored mayonnaise using olive oil which was much better tasting than store bought. I followed the instructions (link below) and used an immersion blender as suggested. The next time I will try a food processor to see how that turns out.

30 second lemon mayonnaise, adapted from here
1 cup olive oil at room temperature
1 pasteurized whole egg at room temperature
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 tsp very fine lemon zest
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Place everything into a 1 pint mason jar (with a lid for storage). Place an immersion blender into the jar, allowing it to rest on the bottom. Turn on the blender and and when you see the olive oil and egg begin to thicken, slowly lift the blender up (while it's on).

When everything in the jar looks like it's emulsified, turn the blender off. Taste and add more salt and pepper (or lemon juice) if needed.

The leftover mayonnaise will keep for about a week, refrigerated.

salad
4-5 medium potatoes, scrubbed
1 medium turnip, peeled
3-4 carrots, scrubbed clean
1/3 - 1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise
3-4 tbsp plain yogurt
1-2 tbsp mustard
1 apple, cored and diced
3-4 dill pickles, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 cup peas, frozen are fine
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Bring the potatoes and turnip to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then add the carrots. Cook another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain and cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard.

Dice the cooled potatoes, turnip and carrots and add to the bowl. Add the apple, dill pickles, green onions, eggs and peas. Toss until everything is evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Allow the salad to sit for about 30 minutes before serving to give the flavors a chance to meld a bit.

Salad with Pink Grapefruit & Avocado

(4 servings)

This week they were practically giving away huge juicy Texas grown pink grapefruit! There's a wonderful selection of locally grown stuff at the market at the moment.

vinaigrette
juice squeezed from 1/2 pink grapefruit and from the leftover membranes, (about 1/2-2/3 cup)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1 1/2 tsp honey
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Whisk everything together except the salt and pepper. Taste, then add the salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

salad
6 cups mixed baby greens such as spinach, kale and chard
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 pink grapefruit, segmented (then cut them in half)
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped

Divide the greens between four salad bowls. Top each with onion and feta cheese, followed by the grapefruit segments and avocado slices. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts evenly over the four salads.

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over each salad and serve.

Raw Turnip, Apple and Carrot Slaw

(4-6 servings)

Recently I tried turnips for the first time. They hadn't been at all what I expected, and their taste and textures were quite different raw or baked. I love them raw; somewhat peppery and nice and crispy.

Raw turnips are delicious in this fresh salad!

1 large honey tangerine
2 tbsp apple cider or rice vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 clove garlic, minced
2 turnips
1 crisp apple
3 medium carrots
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the tangerine in half and squeeze out the juice; you should have about 1/2 cup, give or take. Combine that with the vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Set aside.

Slice the tops off the turnips (where the leaves came out) as well as the bottoms. Peel them and then shred them into a large bowl.

Wash the apple, cut it into quarters (you can leave the peel on if you like) and remove the core. Shred the apple into the bowl.

Wash and scrub the carrots and shred those into the bowl as well.

Pour the dressing over the shredded vegetables and toss until everything is evenly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Serve.

Red Cabbage Coleslaw

(about 4 servings)

Cabbage and carrots are in season in Texas at the moment. Both these vegetables found their way into this delicious coleslaw.

1 tbsp onion, grated
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/2 head red cabbage, finely shredded
1 carrot, grated
salt and freshly grated pepper, to taste

Combine the onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar and honey in a large bowl.

Add the red cabbage and carrots. Toss. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Toss again and serve.

Green Salad with Asian Pear & Feta

(2 servings)

What stands out in this salad are the wonderful textures and flavors. The feta doesn't really belong here, but it's one of my favorite cheeses and I'm inclined to toss it into almost any salad I make. The salty cheese is rather nice in this salad, regardless.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if needed.

dressing
1 tbsp reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp mirin (not seasoned) or rice wine
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp honey
1/8 tsp fresh garlic, minced (or more to taste)

salad
3-4 cups mixed baby lettuce
1 small carrot, grated
2 radishes, sliced or grated
1 small Asian pear, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

Combine everything for the dressing and set aside.

Compose the salad onto two plates beginning with the lettuce. Top with the carrots, radishes, Asian pear, green onion then the feta cheese. At this point you can leave the salad on the counter up to 20 minutes or so.

When you are ready to serve, drizzle equal amounts of the dressing over both salads.

Grated Carrot & Apple Salad

(4 servings)

I'm mostly eating salads at home trying to balance the holiday dinners and goodies that keep appearing my way. Any crisp apple will work in this dish. I used organic Cameo apples and they were lovely with the carrots.

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 apples, cored and shredded
2 large carrots, shredded
salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp raisins or currants

Combine the orange juice, vinegar, olive oil and mustard in a salad bowl.

Add the apples and toss quickly in the dressing to stop them from becoming discolored. Add the carrots and toss. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Add the raisins or currants, toss again.

Serve.

Soba Noodle Salad

(6-8 servings)

I have been eating a ton of green salads of late and decided to change things up a bit this weekend with this delicious Asian style soba noodle salad. This dish is somewhat versatile in that you can add almost any bits of vegetables you have on hand. In the past I've used broccoli, asparagus, corn, peas, beans, even celery.

dressing
1 small clove garlic, minced
small piece of fresh ginger, grated (about 2 tsp)
1/2 cup soy or tamari sauce
1/4 cup mirin or rice wine
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp hot sesame oil
2 tsp honey

salad
12oz soba noodles cooked as directed, drained and cooled
3 green onions, sliced
1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 small  bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped or lightly toasted sesame seeds (optional)

In a small bowl combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil and honey. Set aside.

Place the soba noodles, green onions, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot and cilantro into a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss.

Garnish with the chopped peanuts or toasted sesame seeds, if using.

Salad with Pomegranate, Feta & Walnuts

(4 servings)

This salad is so good, I've made it three times this week! The salty feta, juicy pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts top a leafy salad tossed in a tasty vinaigrette made with pomegranate juice and balsamic vinegar.

dressing
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 -1/2 clove garlic, minced or pressed, to taste
freshly cracked pepper

Combine all the dressing ingredients with a fork or whisk and set aside. (I left the salt out of the dressing because the feta I used was salty enough).

salad
1 pomegranate
7-8 cups leaf lettuce, torn
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

Cut open the pomegranate and remove the seeds. Set aside.

Just before you are ready to serve the salad, place the lettuce into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the lettuce and toss until the leaves are coated. Divide this salad mixture evenly between four salad plates.

Sprinkle a quarter of the pomegranate seeds onto each salad, then divide the feta cheese and walnuts between the four plates.

Serve immediately.

Spiced Cantaloupe Salad

(4 servings)

A week or so ago I came across this interesting recipe for a cantaloupe salad seasoned with a dressing containing fish sauce. I was pretty intrigued. A teaspoonful of fish sauce on its own can be unpleasant tasting, but add some to a dish and it can provide a wonderful complexity and depth of flavor that would be difficult to mimic otherwise.

I used cilantro for this Thai inspired salad because I only had regular basil on hand. Thai basil has an anise-like flavor which would have been really nice for this. The cilantro was better than using the regular basil, in my opinion. I also added a jalapeno pepper because those little red ones are just too darn hot for me. I suspect regardless of how you tweak this salad, it will still be really tasty. I've already made two batches of it!

adapted from morestomach
1 large cantaloupe, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 jalapeno pepper, dice (or use a hotter red pepper)
2 green onions, sliced
small handful cilantro or Thai basil, chopped or thinly sliced
freshly ground pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp honey


Place the cantaloupe, jalapeno pepper, onion and cilantro into a salad bowl. Add freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Combine the lime juice, fish sauce and honey in a small bowl. Pour over the salad mixture and toss until everything is evenly combined.

Serve.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Anchovy Dressing

(4 servings)

Another tomato salad! I love tomatoes. I can eat them everyday, especially when they are at their peak. This time I left them out on the counter to marinate in rather robust anchovy and caper dressing. Life is good!

6-8 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 red onion, diced fine
3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
1 heaping tbsp capers
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon zest, minced
a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper (or to taste)
salt, to taste (the anchovies are salty, so be careful)
1 lb heirloom tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh basil or parsley, sliced or chopped

Place the anchovies, onion, olive oil, half the lemon juice, capers, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper into a small bowl. Mix until well combined. Add more lemon juice, if needed and also salt. I usually don't add additional salt, but today I found myself adding a small amount. Set the dressing aside.

Wash the tomatoes and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Divide and arrange them onto four salad plates. Sprinkle each with some fresh basil or parsley. I usually use parsley for this, but I didn't have any on hand. So I added the basil instead, which I quite enjoyed in this salad. Use whichever you prefer.

Spoon the dressing evening over the tomatoes. Leave out on the counter for at least 20 minutes to give the flavors a chance to meld.