Summer Tomatoes
AUGUST 3, 2007
This is for my Massachusetts dear friend, Jane of [Joy of Voice](http://www.yojane.com/). Jane, you asked for one of my favorite hot summer dishes and this is one of them!
I LOVE summer tomatoes...
There is NOTHING like vine ripened summer tomatoes... I eat cherry tomatoes like candy... and these big ones... I put them in everything...
It's one of those dishes where there are no proportions, I make this like I paint, pulling together whatever is on hand... tasting as I go, just using intuition and what I like...
**_Summer Tomatoes_**
_Ripe tomatoes, diced, or sliced_
_Mozzarella cheese packed in water (chop into small pieces)_
_Fresh Basil (chopped or torn)_
_Olive oil (I used Meyer Lemon Olive Oil)_
_Sea salt_
_Fresh ground pepper_
and don't forget the _sweet red onion_!!!
Mix the chopped tomatoes, cheese, onion, and basil leaves together...
Drizzle with olive oil, stir... sprinkle in sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste,stir... and place in a beautiful dish to serve...
Enjoy as a summer side dish with large chunks of crusty french bread
for dipping into the juices, to which you can also add some balsamic
vinegar... yum... or you can top a large green salad with these tomatoes...
or as a main course by adding hot pasta! This melts the cheese as you stir it all together... it is so yummy, melting in your mouth with bursts of flavor and texture... we had this last tonight for dinner!!! Serve the pasta with a large green salad and your favorite red wine (Murphy-Goode is always a good choice!!!) or a tall glass of your favorite iced sun-tea and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!
A little bit about my favorite sea salt. This was first given to me by my dear Kimberly Saward, Californian turned Brit... It comes from Malden near where Kimberly lives in England (you can find this in specialty stores) and it is my favorite salt to cook with...
Not only can I taste the difference in the flavor of the salt... but I believe the crystal configuration is really important to cooking and my health... and beautiful...
Aren't these crystals amazing and beautiful!!!! For like my painting and art-making, cooking to me is all about exchanges of energy and putting combinations together that are beautiful to you... that way... you feed the aesthetic palate as well as creating nourishment for body and soul...