Sweetness and a kiss of char bring intrigue to this tasty salad at any time of the year. This recipe was inspired by one in acclaimed British chef April Bloomfield's cookbook, A Girl and Her Pig (2012). Compared to her recipe, which calls for roasting whole peppers and slow-roasting whole tomatoes before peeling them, ours shortens the cooking time and maximizes flavor. To reach that goal, we have four key steps: using smaller cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced bell peppers for quicker cooking, preheating a cast-iron skillet to get an even and fast char on the outside of the tomatoes without overcooking, cooking the tomatoes and peppers in batches to prevent overcrowding and steaming, and allowing the tomatoes to cook on one side without stirring to maximize charring on each side. To enhance the smokiness of the tomatoes and bell peppers, we added smoked paprika to an assertive dressing of garlic, red wine vinegar, anchovies, thyme, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. After marinating the vegetables in the dressing, we tossed in torn pieces of creamy fresh mozzarella (the jagged edges hold more dressing) and some torn fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- One pint of cherry tomatoes weighs about 12 ounces.
- Serve with warmed or grilled crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic - peeled
- 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt - divided
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - plus 1 teaspoon, divided, plus extra for drizzling
- 5 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 3 anchovy fillets - minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes - plus extra for seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper - stemmed, seeded, and cut lengthwise into thin strips
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese - torn into bite-size pieces
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves - torn into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Mince garlic with ¼ teaspoon of salt to form a smooth paste.
- Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil, vinegar, anchovies, thyme, lemon juice, pepper flakes, paprika, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Whisk to combine.
Char the tomatoes:
- Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Toss the tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the tomatoes to the hot skillet and cook until lightly charred on 1 side, about 4 minutes.
- Stir and continue to cook for 2 minutes longer. (Some tomatoes will start to burst.)
- Meanwhile, toss the bell pepper with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Transfer the tomatoes to the vinegar mixture.
Cook the bell peppers:
- Add the bell pepper to the now-empty skillet set over medium heat.
- Cook until spotty brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes.
- Stir and continue to cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Transfer the bell pepper to the tomato mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
Finish and serve:
- Gently toss the mozzarella and basil with the tomato mixture until combined.
- Season with salt and pepper flakes to taste.
- Transfer to a platter.
- Serve drizzled with oil.