Marinated Tomato and Plum Salad with Steamed Lentils, Feta, and Avocado Toast Seasoning
When it comes to cooking with — and eating — peak summer produce, the three ingredients I can never get enough of are corn, stone fruit, and tomatoes. Last month, I shared my “Three Sisters” Summer Salad, a riff on Mexican Street Corn that comes together quickly thanks to Melissa’s Six Bean Medley. The other Steamed Line staple that I can’t get enough of is the Steamed Lentils; they make building a nutritious salad so easy, and they taste great — dense, earthy, and nutty. Paired with sweet, juicy heirloom tomatoes and tangy feta, they make for a hearty side salad or topper to some steamed rice. The addition of plums and Melissa’s new Avocado Toast Seasoning blend might seem unexpected, but the results are truly delightful — the plums lend additional sweetness and a little bright bite, and the Avocado Toast Seasoning lives up to its hype. This is a salad that gets better over time, so make a big batch to compliment dinners and lunches for the week.
To me, marinated tomatoes are the ultimate summer hack. Letting the fruits mingle with their juices, a little good olive oil and salt — plus whatever fresh herbs I have on hand — creates a sort of summer tomato stew, perfect for spooning over creamy burrata, grilled bread, or pasta. Choose a few varieties of tomatoes to play with color and texture. The beautiful spectrum of Melissa’s heirloom tomatoes, ranging from golden to violet, are a jazzy, juicy base for Heavenly Villagio Marzanos® — a meaty, mini, heirloom Roma variety. The structure of these pint-sized ruby gems is great for salads that marinate, since they retain their shape and texture so nicely.
I like to halve the Heavenly Villagio Marzanos® and cut the heirlooms into fat wedges. The latter is plump with juices and seeds, while the former is firmer, denser. Season your tomatoes lightly with salt, add a big glug of good olive oil, fresh basil, and grated or minced garlic, and let it all relax in a mixing bowl for a few hours.
Plums may seem out of place in a savory salad, but I assure you, they are not. Their dense flesh blends beautifully with the texture of the tomatoes, while their flavor profile — bright and sweet with a hint of tartness — lifts the whole of the marinade. If you’re worried about mixing plums with fresh garlic, don’t be. There’s a long and successful tradition of using plums in savory dishes in Chinese, Georgian, and Middle Eastern cooking.
If the hallmark of a good salad is texture (and it is), then Melissa’s new Avocado Toast Seasoning blend is your kitchen crown jewel. A salty, sweet, and savory mix of sea salt, garlic, onion, dried tomato, parsley, and red pepper, it benefits from a hint of sugar that balances dishes. Though it was designed to elevate the rich, buttery flesh of avocados, I’ve found it works beautifully on anything creamy. In this case, that means crumbled feta, but burrata or small balls of mozzarella would work, too. Finish your salad with a generous sprinkle of Avocado Toast Seasoning just before serving. Between the textures, flavors, and colors of this salad, there’s a ‘wow’ with every bite.
Marinated Tomato and Plum Salad with Steamed Lentils, Feta, and Avocado Toast Seasoning
Ingredients
6 ounces Heavenly Villagio Marzano® Tomatoes
2 Heirloom Tomatoes
4 Organic Plums
2 cloves fresh Peeled Garlic, finely minced
1 package Organic Steamed Lentils
1 Organic Lime, zested and juiced
Splash of rice wine vinegar
EVOO
8 ounces feta, crumbled
Melissa’s Avocado Toast Seasoning, for sprinkling
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, to taste
Rainbow Peppercorns, to taste
Handful of Organic Basil, plus more for garnish
Directions
Wash and dry your tomatoes and plums. Halve Heavenly Villagio Marzanos, and halve, core/pit, and quarter heirlooms and plums. Add all tomatoes and plums, plus their juices to a large mixing bowl. Lightly salt.
Chiffonade a handful of basil and add to tomatoes and plums, along with finely minced garlic, lime zest, splash of rice wine vinegar, and a good glug of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
During this time, occasionally stir to incorporate juices and help marinate. Taste the marinated tomatoes and plums and adjust seasoning. Carefully fold in Organic Steamed Lentils and lime juice to taste, making sure to retain the structure of the fruits.
To serve, spoon salad onto platter and top with crumbled feta, and a generous sprinkle of Melissa’s Avocado Toast Seasoning. Garnish with hand-torn basil.
