Fresh Paleo Tomato Salad with Kalamata Olives

While visiting my grandkids (and my son and daughter-in-law, too) in Winston-Salem, NC last week, I jumped at the chance to use a gift certificate I’d received at Christmas for Green Gate Olive Oils. What a great store! We had a ball tasting the delicious olive oils and the amazing balsamic vinegars. Even the grandkids loved the vinegars — the big hit was the one that tasted just like fresh strawberries.

I had my selections shipped home to Michigan, and when I got the package and opened the Chipotle Olive Oil and the Maple Syrup Balsamic Vinegar, I suddenly had SUCH a craving for a fresh tomato salad with these two taste delights drizzled all over it — and I don’t even care much for fresh tomatoes!

So here’s the recipe I came up with, and I’m telling y’all, it’s amazing. If you haven’t tried flavored vinegars or flavored olive oils, you are missing out on a true taste treat. You can probably substitute in this recipe any olive oils or balsamic vinegars you like, but listed below are the ones I used.

Marinade/Dressing Ingredients

Mix this up first so the flavors can blend together while you’re making the salad:

2 T. Chipotle Olive Oil
1 tsp. White Truffle Olive Oil
2 tsp. Oregano and Basil Balsamic Vinegar
2 T. Maple Syrup Balsamic Vinegar (this is a must-have in my book. Delish!!)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. chopped fresh basil
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Small handfuls of fresh basil and fragrant cilantro, both cut just minutes ago from my chemical-free container herb garden!

The Process

Mix all ingredients in a jar and put the cap on it. Shake, shake, shake until the oils and vinegars emulsify and the salt dissolves. Set aside.

The marinade is none too pretty to look at and a bit messy to make, but if you could smell the aroma of the maple syrup balsamic vinegar coming out of this jar, you’d sacrifice the visual appeal, too.

Tomato Salad Ingredients

6 Ripe Roma Tomatoes
3 Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes of different colors (I used purple and yellow)
1 C. Ripe Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Large Red Onion
1 C. (or more, if you want) Pitted Kalamata Olives

Fresh tomatoes waiting to be sliced and marinated. These are some beauties!

1. Slice all the tomatoes except the grape tomatoes in thin wedges and place in a large bowl.
   

   These all taste like tomatoes, but with slightly different degrees of tomatoey-ness, and the vibrant colors make the salad just plain purty.

2. Halve the grape tomatoes lengthwise and place in the bowl.
3. Thinly slice the red onion, and then halve the slices so the pieces aren’t too long and unwieldy. Place in bowl.
   

   Slice the red onion really thin.

4. Strain Kalamata olives and place in the bowl with the other ingredients.
   

   I chose pitted Kalamata olives to save on the dental bills.

   

   Nowhere to go and not dressed up yet, either. Waiting for the marinade dressing!

    

5. Pour marinade/dressing over all and mix carefully with a large spoon to coat all the ingredients. Mix from the bottom up to try to keep the tomato slices intact.
   

   Fresh Tomato Salad with the dressing stirred in. Now to marinate it for a couple of hours while it chills! Can’t wait to dig in!

6. Refrigerate for at least two hours, but stop by the fridge every 20 minutes or so to mix the salad (carefully) so the ingredients each get a fair shake at absorbing the marinade.
7. Serve chilled in a bowl, a plate by itself, or let your guests dig in! If you serve it already dished up, be sure to use a large spoon to get some of the marinade from the bottom of the bowl to drizzle over the top of the salad just before you serve it.
8. Enjoy!

NOTE: I think this would be great with some sliced strawberries mixed in it.