Heirloom Tomato, Fennel, and Avocado Pressed Salad [CEC]

Name: Heirloom Tomato, Fennel, and Avocado Pressed Salad [CEC]
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced; 6 large heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces; flesh of 2 ripe avocados, diced into 1/2-inch cubes; 2 shallots, minced; 1/4 cup raw pistachio nuts, roughly chopped; 1 large handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 1 large handful fresh basil leaves, finely chopped; freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon; 3 tablespoons pistachio nut oil (or substitute extra-virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil); sea salt to taste; freshly ground black pepper to taste; chopped fresh chives or additional mint or basil leaves for garnish; 1/2 cup capers, mashed; zest of 1 lemon; 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives; 5 turns of coarse black pepper; 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 steps

This has been on our menu at Pure Food and Wine during the summer when heirloom tomatoes are in season. We call it a "pressed salad" since we use a ring mold and press it down to compact the flavors and create a nice presentation. But if you're making it at home and don't have a ring mold, it tastes just as good served in a big messy pile. We serve it with our caper dressing.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:45:46 GMT

Nutrition balance score

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Ingredients

6 servings

2fennel bulbs

cored and thinly sliced

6heirloom tomatoes

large, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces

2avocados

flesh of, ripe, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

2shallots

minced

¼ cupraw pistachio nuts

roughly chopped

1 handfulfresh mint leaves

finely chopped

1 handfulfresh basil leaves

finely chopped

1lemon

freshly squeezed juice of

3 tablespoonspistachio nut oil

or substitute extra-virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil

sea salt

to taste

freshly ground black pepper

to taste

fresh chives

chopped, or additional mint or basil leaves for garnish

Caper Dressing

½ cupcapers

mashed

1zest of lemon

2 tablespoonsfresh chives

minced

5 turnscoarse black pepper

1 cupextra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Step 1

First, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the capers, lemon zest, chives, and pepper. Add the olive oil slowly while mixing everything with a spoon.

Step 2

To make the salad, in a large bowl very gently toss the fennel, tomatoes, avocado, shallots, pistachios, mint, basil, lemon juice, pistachio oil, salt, and pepper. Keep in mind the caper emulsion will round out the flavors, so only a small amount of seasoning is needed.

Step 3

Place a wide ring mold in the center of each serving plate and fill it with the salad. Gently press down the mixture to compact it. Remove the ring and drizzle the caper dressing over and around the salad. Garnish with the chives, mint, or basil. (At the restaurant, we serve each salad with two long whole chives crossed over each other, leaning on the salad).

Step 4

Calories: 560 per serving.