Baby Potato and Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad

Earlier this summer, the kids and I took a little mini stay-cation to San Antonio. We went roller skating, perused the Japanese Tea Gardens (advertised as the Japanese Tea Gardens but there is a sign at the entry that says Chinese Tea Gardens, strange), made an attempt at free Tuesday at the Witte Museum (didn't even get out of the car for that one because there were 5 tour buses full of kids ahead of us!) and then to Trader Joe's.

I had always heard great things about TJs from friends who had the privilege of living near one. We only recently got one in San Antonio and this was my first time there.

As I made my starry-eyed way through this sweet little store, I immediately was drawn to these little mesh bags of assorted baby potatoes - waxy purple, yellow, and red tender young things. Next I saw plastic clamshell trays of heirloom cherry tomatoes. There were yellow, red and purple tomatoes, larger and smaller, perfectly round and grape shaped. It took about a half second for the idea to come to mind....a fresh summer salad dressed with basil and balsamic vinegar!

There is something to be said about finding a good aged balsamic vinegar. You can find it at the grocery store (a little pricier than standard BV). The best balsamic is thick and syrupy, sweet and tangy. It is so versatile and can be used on its own to dress salads, drizzle over roasted veggies (my kids dip roasted Brussels sprouts in it), or anywhere you desire a little zing of flavor with no added fat. Another benefit of a good balsamic is that it has a little cling to it, where it actually stays on your food rather than pooling at the bottom of the dish.

Following is the recipe that came to mind that fateful day we discovered Trader Joe's.

 

Baby Potato and Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad

 

1/2 lb baby potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise and boiled in lightly salted water till al dente then cooled*

1 pint heirloom or regular cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/4 c thinly sliced green onions or red onions

1 red bell pepper, sliced

a good handful fresh basil, thinly sliced (or roughly chopped, your choice)

aged balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

mixed baby greens, optional

 

Prepare potatoes. Once al dente, drain them and put in a bowl in the fridge while you prepare other ingredients. You can also do this step ahead of time so the potatoes are ready to work with when you are.

 

Add tomatoes, peppers, basil, and onions to the cooled potatoes. Toss with balsamic vinegar, starting with about 1 tablespoon. You can add more if desired, just make sure to gently toss and coat everything in the bowl before you do. Season with salt and pepper and serve over a bed of mixed baby greens, if desired.

 

*if you cannot find baby potatoes, you can used waxy red or yellow ones. Just wash and cut into bite sized pieced before cooking.

 

Enjoy!!!