Instructions

Cup of Yum
1. Slice the heirloom tomatoes into 1 inch chunks.
2. Place the tomatoes into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, and hot sauce or tabasco. The sugar and hot sauce are both optional. Sugar helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes and brings out their natural sweetness. If you have very sweet and ripe tomatoes, you may find it unnecessary. Hot sauce adds just a slight spicy kick to the salad which we find delicious.
3. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
4. Cover salad and let the tomatoes macerate for 30 minutes. After sitting, stir salad again and adjust seasoning as needed. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
5. Slice the basil chiffonade (alternatively you may chop it). Stir in some of the freshly sliced basil, and garnish top of the salad with the rest just before serving.
6. Serve salad at room temperature with a slotted spoon. Liquid from the tomatoes will collect in the bottom of the bowl, and the slotted spoon will allow you to serve the salad without making a wet mess of your plate. We like using a nice crusty bread to dip in those fabulous tomato juices at the bottom of the bowl! You may also wish to drain off some of the excess liquid from the salad bowl prior to serving.