Let tomatoes be both fruit and vegetable in this juicy peach salad
The Peninsula
This summer fruit filled salad featuring tomatoes leans into its double life as both a fruit and a vegetable. Botanically, tomato is a fruit, as it...
This summer-fruit-filled salad featuring tomatoes leans into its double life as both a fruit and a vegetable.
Botanically, tomato is a fruit, as it grows from a flower and contains seeds. But from a culinary point of view, its nutrient profile and how it is commonly eaten, tomato presents as a vegetable, and was declared as such by the Supreme Court in its unanimous ruling in 1893.
Legal arguments aside, I say, why box it in? Let it be both! This salad is a prime example of the possibilities that emerge from letting a tomato express its sweet and savory sides.
In this recipe, fresh grape or cherry tomatoes (it’s no coincidence the varieties are named after fruits) are tossed with ripe peaches and blueberries. This extraordinary combination showcases the juicy fruitiness these ingredients have in common.
But being ambidextrous, the tomatoes here also act as a bridge to the savory side, inviting bites of red onion and a vinaigrette to the party. The light sweetness of the white balsamic vinegar (or a touch of honey) in the dressing helps reinforce that sweet-savory harmony, as does a sprinkling of floral basil leaves.