TOMATOES WITH BASIL AND ANCHOVIES

Tomatoes With Basil and Anchovies image

A great tomato salad starts with great tomatoes. Buy ripe tomatoes in season from the market or farm stand, or, even better, pick them straight from the garden. The anchovies (they are rinsed briefly to tame them) are an important feature, the perfect counterpoint to the tomatoes' sweetness. Add a large handful of aromatic basil leaves just before serving.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories dinner, easy, lunch, quick, salads and dressings, appetizer, side dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, diced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
12 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup milk (optional)
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, any size, cut in wedges, slices or halves
1 1/2 cups basil leaves, not too big, washed and dried
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

Steps:

Make the vinaigrette: Put garlic, shallot and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Put anchovies in a small bowl and cover with milk. Leave for 5 minutes, then carefully rinse with water and blot with paper towels. (Alternatively, skip the milk and simply rinse anchovies with water and blot.) Transfer to a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
About 5 or 10 minutes before serving, place tomatoes in a large, deep platter or low-sided serving bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
Just before serving, add the basil leaves and toss gently. Garnish with anchovy fillets and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper, if desired.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 147, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 612 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams