Making this salad always reminds me of those long and carefree summer days when time stops and you have no idea what day it is.

Jessica says…

This simple dish is a bridge between past and present, a taste of home wherever I am. Growing up in the “fruit bowl” of New Zealand, I was surrounded by incredible produce year‑round – but sweet, fragrant, end-of-summer tomatoes were always the stand-out. As a child, I would devour sandwiches of soft white bread, butter and sliced tomatoes; still warm from the vine or the kitchen windowsill, they tasted like pure magic. Fast forward to adulthood, and summer-ripe tomatoes still transport me back to those days.

Home is more than a place: it’s a feeling, a collection of memories, and a sense of comfort. For me, home tastes like these tomatoes paired with the creamy tang of the GOAT dressing: a simple salad that embodies those summer days when it’s too hot to cook. The contrast of sweet and juicy tomatoes with the creamy and tangy dressing makes for a refreshing side with absolutely any other dish, or as a standalone meal – served with a fluffy hunk of bread – on those days when it’s also too hot to eat.

Making this salad always reminds me of those long and carefree summer days when time stops and you have no idea what day it is. It’s a mainstay at gatherings with friends because it’s just so dependable, and it goes with absolutely everything. The contrast of the warm, sweet tomatoes against the chilled, creamy, tangy dressing really is something, and the addition of fried capers and pine nuts takes this dish to the next level.

EPIC SALADS BY JESSICA PRESCOTT IS AVAILABLE NOW.

 

Tomato Salad With Fried Capers and Pine Nuts

 

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a side

 olive oil, for cooking
2 tablespoons capers
6 ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
basil leaves, to garnish 

GOAT (Greatest of All Time) Dressing

Makes approx 250ml

80g soft goat’s cheese
100g Greek yoghurt
3 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 heaped tablespoon chopped dill
½ garlic clove, crushed 

Method

First make the GOAT dressing. Put the goat’s cheese and yoghurt in a small mixing bowl and use a fork to break down the cheese and slowly work it into the yoghurt. Once combined, add the oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition to ensure the dressing doesn’t split. Add the salt, lemon zest, dill and garlic, and stir to combine.

To fry your capers, heat a good inch of olive oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Pat the capers dry using a paper towel or tea towel, then carefully add them to the hot oil and step back – they will release water at first, which can cause the oil to splatter. Cook in the hot oil for approximately 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan regularly until they bloom and turn golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and lay in a single layer on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Set aside until ready to use.

Spread most of the dressing over the bottom of a serving dish and smooth it with the back of a spoon.

Cut the tomatoes into slices approx ½cm thick and arrange the slices over the dressing. Season with a little salt and pepper, then drizzle with the remaining dressing. Top with the fried capers, pine nuts and basil leaves.

Serve with focaccia, bruschetta or any kind of bread so you can soak up the delicious juices and creamy dressing – a truly otherworldly flavour. Enjoy alongside any assortment of salads and proteins; you can’t go wrong.

Published in ed#730