Freshly Sliced Tomatoes and Basil Chiffonade

 This is a most delicious way to enjoy fresh tomatoes. Simple yet divine. Thanks to my bestie Maria for giving me this recipe. It’s amazing just like she is!

Last year, Maria got some large homegrown tomatoes from a friend of hers. She told me they were really large and wanted to eat them fresh instead of cooking them. 

She came up with this simple recipe that’s actually served in many restaurants. It looks elegant and tastes divine. 

Nothing like a freshly sliced tomato with a drizzle of olive oil and a a ribbon of fresh basil.

Top that off with some coarse sea salt and black pepper for a burst of freshness in your mouth.

  It’s a healthy and naturally sweet tasting side dish to accompany any main course or great for an appetizer. Which is how this is served in restaurants and sometimes served with sliced mozzarella cheese. 

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for a larger amount of people. Looks really nice on a buffet table with other appetizers. 

Also great to bring for barbecues or picnics for a fresh side dish. Don’t forget potluck dinners. Be the star who brings the freshest and most beautiful dish. 

Just a note, for those of you who have not heard of what chiffonade is, here is the definition….

A fancy word for something so simple  “Chiffonade” is a slicing technique in which leafy green vegetables such as spinach, sorrel, or Swiss chard, or a flat-leaved herb like basil, are cut into long, thin strips or ribbons. This is accomplished by stacking the  leaves, rolling them tightly, then slicing the leaves very thinly. Then, when the ribbons or strips are sprinkled over a dish they make for a beautiful presentation.  

Now you know what chiffonade is and how easy you can make any dish  look so appetizing and seem fancy without much fuss or preparation. One very important step, only prep the leaves right before you are going to sprinkle. They can turn dark if let to sit out once they are cut. 

Just a few ingredients and you too will be enjoying the freshness.

Freshly Sliced Tomatoes and Basil Chiffonade

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, home grown or vine ripe from the market are good choices
• fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove finely minced, (photos shows the garlic chopped, I suggest to mince since it’s a little too strong chopped)
• 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• coarse sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice tomatoes on the thicker side. Lay them out on a plate.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle oil.
3. To chiffadone the basil, simply take off the leaves, stack them up one on top of the other. Roll up like a cigar. Now with a sharp knife, cut into thin strips. Gently break apart while sprinkling them over the tomatoes.

Enjoy the freshness! 

Here is a delicious fresh tomato dish to enjoy….

Shortcut Homemade Fresh Bruschetta 

Print

Freshly Sliced Tomatoes and Basil Chiffonade

This is the most delicious way to enjoy fresh tomatoes. Simple yet divine. 

Course Appetizer, First Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword basil, Chiffonade, tomato, Tomatoes

Servings 2

Author Maria

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, home grown or vine ripe from the market are good choices
• fresh basil leaves
• 1 large garlic clove finely minced
• 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• coarse sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1.Slice tomatoes on the thicker side. Lay them out on a plate.

   2.Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle oil.

   3.To chiffadone the basil, simply take off the leaves, stack them up one on top of the other. Roll up like a cigar. Now with a sharp knife, cut into thin strips. Gently break apart while sprinkling them over the tomatoes.

   Enjoy the freshness! 

 One more delicious fresh tomato and zucchini recipe to see….