it’s a dish full of sunshine, warmth and colour that really lets the beautiful produce shine
STORIES · 11.08.21
Food | Garden | Recipes
We grow over thirty varieties of organic tomato in the Market Garden at Daylesford, and it’s now, at the very height of summer, when at they’re at their sweetest and juiciest. Less of a recipe and little more than a simple assembly job, this light Mediterranean-style salad is one of my favourite ways to enjoy some of the more unusual heritage varieties – in particular Marmande which look like little red-ribbed pumpkins. Combined like this with salty cheese, fresh mint, plenty of extra virgin olive oil and a crisp glass of Léoube rosé, it’s a dish full of sunshine, warmth and colour that really lets the beautiful produce shine. I recommend leaving the shredding of the mint leaves until the last minute to prevent them from turning black.
Serves 4 as a light lunch
Ingredients
300g mayonnaise
juice of 2 lemons
8 large tomatoes, preferably heritage
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
400g feta cheese, drained
1 small bunch of fresh mint
plenty of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
this is one of my favourite ways to enjoy some of the more unusual heritage varieties – in particular Marmande which look like little red-ribbed pumpkins
Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice and a couple of twists of ground black pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly combined – it should have a pourable consistency.
Slice the large tomatoes thinly and arrange on a serving platter. Season with a little more freshly ground black pepper and salt. Crumble the feta into small chunks and scatter over along with the cherry tomatoes.
Drizzle the salad with the lemon mayonnaise.
Finely shred the mint leaves and scatter over the top, finish with a good slug of olive oil, and serve.
For more organic, seasonal recipes, you can order my cookbook A Love For Food here.
