By salting and straining ripe heirloom tomatoes, you collect the summertime star’s slightly sweet and vegetal juices—called tomato water, it’s a prized ingredient in its own right. Here it’s whisked with a little rice vinegar for added brightness and a verdant basil oil to create a flavorful vinaigrette to dress the wedges and a torn ball of burrata. Finish the salad with a lot of basil, using a mix of colors and varieties (like standard green Italian, anise-y Thai, and moody purple).
What you’ll need
Mesh Sieve
$13 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
$26 At Amazon
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Food Processor
$63 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
2
1
3
1
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Place 2 lb. mixed heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges, in a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl (to catch tomato water); season liberally with kosher salt and toss to distribute. Let sit 20 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook 1 cup (packed) basil leaves in a small saucepan of boiling salted water, stirring, 30 seconds. Drain and gently press to remove excess water.
Step 3
Transfer basil to a small food processor or blender, add 3 Tbsp. grapeseed or vegetable oil, and process until smooth. Pour basil oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl and press on solids to extract as much basil as possible; discard solids. Whisk in 1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar and 2 Tbsp. tomato water to combine.
Step 4
Transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl and drizzle half of dressing over; toss to combine. Transfer to a platter or shallow bowls, top with one 8-oz. ball burrata or fresh mozzarella, torn into large pieces, and drizzle with remaining dressing. Scatter more basil over; season with freshly ground black pepper.