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Spanish Cherry Tomato Salad

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2013

Time

30 minutes, plus 30 minutes salting

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Spanish Cherry Tomato Salad

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered (see note)½ teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 minced shallot 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup crumbled blue cheese 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves 1 cup orange slices, peeled and chopped

Before You Begin

You can substitute grape tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes.

Instructions

  1. SALT TOMATOES Toss tomatoes, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes and any accumulated liquid to a salad spinner and spin to remove seeds and liquid. Return tomatoes to bowl. Pour tomato liquid through fine-mesh strainer set over saucepan, pressing on solids to extract juice. (You should have about 1/2 cup liquid.)
  2. MAKE DRESSINGS Add vinegar and shallot to pan with tomato liquid and simmer over medium heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then whisk in oil.
  3. DRESS SALAD Add cheese, oregano, and cooled dressing to bowl with tomatoes and toss to combine. Stir in orange slices. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Spanish Cherry Tomato Salad

Spanish Cherry Tomato Salad

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes, plus 30 minutes salting

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered (see note)
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 minced shallot
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1 cup orange slices, peeled and chopped

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered (see note)
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 minced shallot
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1 cup orange slices, peeled and chopped

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered (see note)
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 minced shallot
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1 cup orange slices, peeled and chopped

Why This Recipe Works

Tossing the quartered cherry tomatoes with salt and letting them sit drew out their excess moisture, preventing our Spanish Cherry Tomato Salad from suffering a watery fate. When we reduced the excess tomato juice and simmered it with vinegar and a shallot, its concentrated flavor made a potent base for the vinaigrette and gave our Spanish Cherry Tomato Salad a double tomato flavor.

Before You Begin

You can substitute grape tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes.

Instructions

  1. SALT TOMATOES Toss tomatoes, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes and any accumulated liquid to a salad spinner and spin to remove seeds and liquid. Return tomatoes to bowl. Pour tomato liquid through fine-mesh strainer set over saucepan, pressing on solids to extract juice. (You should have about 1/2 cup liquid.)
  2. MAKE DRESSINGS Add vinegar and shallot to pan with tomato liquid and simmer over medium heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then whisk in oil.
  3. DRESS SALAD Add cheese, oregano, and cooled dressing to bowl with tomatoes and toss to combine. Stir in orange slices. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

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