Tomato and Stone Fruit Salad

Part of the beauty of this salad is in the presentation. (Victoria de la Maza)

The combination of ingredients in this salad is one of my favorites ever. I make variations of this recipe every summer, at that perfect time when tomatoes, peaches, and plums are all in season.

Part of the beauty of this salad is in the presentation. Choose different varieties of heirloom tomatoes for a mix of colors and flavors. Sometimes I slice the ingredients and arrange them on a shallow platter, or stack them into towers for an elegant first course. Other times, I simply cut them into wedges and loosely mix them in a bowl. However you present them, the combination of flavors and aromas is sublime.

When I want to make this into a proper course, I add dollops of burrata and slivers of jamón serrano. Oh, and I serve it with a glass of sparkling wine—summer perfection.

Serves 4

• 3 to 4 large heirloom tomatoes
• 1 peach
• 3 plums
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh basil, for garnish

Slice the tomatoes, peaches, and plums into wedges, removing any pits. Arrange on a platter. Scatter the red onion on top.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle on top of the salad and garnish with basil leaves.