Heirloom Tomato Salad With Buttermilk Dressing and Blue Cheese

Did you know that you can grow heirloom tomatoes all season long…that is unless you live in Chicago. It blew my mind to find out that there are over 7,500 varieties of tomatoes.
I got a first-hand education this summer when I saw so many different ones at the farmers markets in Evanston and Lincoln Park.

My neighbor and I grew Gold Medal Tomatoes this year, and they are magnificent. They really did live up to the description "sweetest tomato you ever tasted".

Before this year, I’ll must admit that I was not a connoisseur of a good tomato. Now – I’m a snob. I’ll go out of my way to get good tomatoes and I’ll even carry them around all day if I have to.

This appealing recipe is from Bon Appetits selection of Ellerbe Fine Foods in Fort Worth, Texas.

Bon Appetit!

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup buttermilk

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• Coarse kosher salt

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

Salad:

• 6 assorted large heirloom tomatoes, cored, cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• Coarse kosher salt

• 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves

Place tomatoes and shallots in large bowl. Add oil and lemon juice; sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper and toss. Divide among 6 plates. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with blue cheese, green onions, and parsley.