Cherry Tomato Overload: Recipe

With about 100 perfect little tomatoes growing outside in my garden (or should I say gardens - for the past two years I have had one lonely cherry tomato plant crop up in the same spot alongside the house - even though I never planted one there. Now it seems to operate as a perennial. Bizarre.), I thought I would go crazy trying to figure out what on earth I could do with that many tomatoes. Truthfully I could wash them and leave them in a bowl on the table and just pop them in my mouth every time I pass by but that seems to be a waste for all of them.

I love counterbalancing colors so green and red look great together, if you ask me. These tomatoes (and really any summer tomato) are so sweet that they required some type of acid as a balance. I find the often-used Balsamic Vinegar can overpower such delicate tomatoes but I wanted to add some bite to the dish - hence the lemon juice. The flavors come together nicely here, especially with the addition of the poppy seeds.

Cherry Tomato Salad in Lemon-Poppy Dressing
1 1/2 Lbs. cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1/2 Lb. green beans, trimmed and halved
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add green beans. Cook the beans for about 3-4 minutes, drain, and run under very cold water for about 2 minutes. Drain well.

In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, green beans, cilantro and shallot and toss gently. In a small bowl whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the salad. Refrigerate about 1 hour and toss well. Serve slightly colder than room temperature.