Bellair Market never lets me down for perfect picnic lunches, and here’s one of the many reasons why: freshly made tomato-avocado salad with hearts of palm, all bright and tantalizing in the cold case. It’s a simple dish, and in my opinion, you can’t find enough of those any more—a good chef magnifies the flavors of a few choice ingredients, rather than blending them into oblivion with every spice in the cupboard. “In cooking, as in all arts, simplicity is a sign of perfection,” said Curnonsky, the Prince of Gastronomy. Hear, hear.
 Bellair Market’s Tomato-Avocado Salad is simply delicious |
Now, to get this recipe really, really right, you’re going to need to be picky about the details. Go to the farmer’s market for the tomatoes, unless you’re growing some yourself. And massaging some salt onto the chopped pieces draws the juices out, which makes them a more flavorful, less sulfuric addition—if you want them milder still, dice them. Most importantly, the olive oil shouldn’t be the stuff you cook with: This is the most serious mistake that people make when dressing a cold dish. Good extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil is usually the key to a magnificent salad. I like the unfiltered Ranieri (gold foil-wrapped) at Foods of All Nations.
Bellair Market’s Tomato-Avocado Salad
3 lbs. Roma tomatoes,
cut into bite-sized pieces
1 whole red onion, sliced
1 bunch chopped parsley
4 avocados, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 can hearts of palm sliced into rounds,
or 1/4 lb. sugar snap peas, slightly
blanched
Dressing:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. black pepper
Mix dressing ingredients in bowl. Toss avocado into bowl of dressing to keep from turning brown. Add other ingredients and you’re done! Serves 15, but can be halved or quartered.