We’re always seeking quick, flavorful side dishes that can easily and perfectly accentuate a hearty protein. Our friends at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street came through as always: They lent us this stellar recipe for a simple tomato salad (grape or cherry are fine) tossed with fresh dill and parsley. And it’ll make any summer main dish even better.
“In this simple salad with vibrant, contrasting colors,” writes recipe developer Julia Rackow, “grape tomatoes are halved and salted to soften them slightly and season them through. Steeping the garlic and shallot in lemon juice for 10 minutes mellows their bite. To be efficient, use this time to prep the parsley and dill.”
“The salad is especially good with grilled meats or seafood or spooned into pita bread,” Rackow continues. Which means that a simple slab of weeknight salmon will instantly be infused with garden-fresh flavor, thanks to this gem of a recipe.
And there’s just one trick to keep in mind as you’re prepping: “Don’t add the dill until just before transferring the salad to a serving vessel, because the delicate leaves wilt quickly and easily,” Rackow advises. “The parsley is added sooner because it’s sturdier.”
Grape Tomato Salad with Parsley and Dill
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced
- ¾ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup lightly packed fresh dill, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, garlic, shallot, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
- Add the shallot mixture, parsleym and oil to the tomatoes and toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the dill and toss. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a serving dish.
Recipe courtesy of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street
