Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese and Fried Shallots

Overhead shot of a platter of tomatoes with fried onions on top.

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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese and Fried Shallots

This easy tomato salad is made with heirloom tomatoes, creamy blue cheese, a sweet + tangy sherry vinaigrette and topped with a mound of crispy fried shallots.

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 1

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 392kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

For the Fried Shallots

3 shallots medium size, peeled, halved, and sliced lengthwise about ¼ inch thick
1 cup buttermilk
salt and pepper
¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup corn starch
grapeseed oil or vegetable oil for frying

For the Salad

1 shallot small, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
flaky sea salt such as Maldon or sell gris
freshly cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heirloom tomatoes very large size, or 4 smaller size, cut into thick slices or wedges
4 ounces blue cheese good quality, creamy, recommended: Maytag
fresh basil torn
fried shallots

Instructions

Make the Fried Shallots:

Combine the shallots with buttermilk, salt, and pepper, then set aside.
3 shallots, 1 cup buttermilk, salt and pepper
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, salt, and pepper.
¾ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup corn starch
Fill a medium pot with oil about 1 inch up the sides, then place over medium-high heat.
grapeseed oil
Drain the shallots well, then working in batches, add them to the flour mixture and toss them around so that every piece is separated and coated with flour. Remove them from the flour, place them into a strainer and shake off as much excess flour as possible.
Test the oil by sprinkling a little bit of flour in it. The flour should immediately sizzle and start to brown, but not burn. If using a thermometer, it should read between 350-375℉.
Carefully drop the shallots into the hot oil. Move them around for a few minutes, flipping if necessary, until golden brown.
Remove fried shallots with a spider or slotted spoon, then place them on paper towels to drain.

Assemble the Salad:

Whisk together minced shallots, honey, Sherry vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
1 shallot, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Arrange tomatoes on a large platter, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, then pour dressing over.
flaky sea salt, 2 heirloom tomatoes, freshly cracked black pepper
Crumble the blue cheese on top and sprinkle with basil.
4 ounces blue cheese, fresh basil
Top with a mound of fried shallots and serve immediately.
fried shallots

Notes

Ingredients matter. For this recipe in particular, the better the ingredients you use, the better it will taste. This means fresh, ripe, in-season tomatoes, fresh basil, and good quality oil, vinegar and blue cheese.
Do not store tomatoes in the refrigerator. Always keep them on the counter at room temperature. If your tomatoes are starting to get over-ripe and you're not ready to use them, you can always put them in the refrigerator and use them to make a sauce or in another cooked application. For a tomato salad, never use refrigerated tomatoes.
Use a variety of different heirloom tomatoes in different shapes, sizes and colors for the best looking and tasting salad. Heirloom tomatoes all have different textures and flavors, so using a variety will add lots of interest.
Keep fried shallots in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb moisture, at room temperature, for up to 2 days. Re-crisp in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes before serving.
The fried shallots are by far the most time consuming and labor intensive part of this recipe. You can skip them and use store bought French fried onions in a pinch, or omit them altogether an add some chives or other herbs to add a little bit more flavor. It won't have quite the same texture, but it will still be delicious with a fraction of the work.

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