Charred Cherry Tomato and Pepper Salad

Salad with charred cherry tomatoes, charred peppers, mozzarella and basil on a platter.

4.50 from 2 votes

Charring the tomatoes and peppers lends an amazing depth of flavour but it doesn't stop there. The dressing is full of umami flavours that complement the ingredients perfectly.

Prep Time10

Cook Time11

Total Time21

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Carolyn Hetke

Equipment

cast iron skillet or BBQ grill recommended

Ingredients

1 lb cherry tomatoes can substitute grape tomatoes
4 tsps olive oil divided, plus more for the skillet
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt divided ½ and ½ (Reduce to ½ teaspoon if using regular sea salt.)
1 red bell pepper
8 oz fresh mozzarella See Note 2 for subsitutions.
½ cup fresh basil

Dressing

1 clove garlic if garlic is not very juicy consider 1 ½ -2 small cloves
2 Tbsps olive oil
5 tsps red wine vinegar
2 tsps lemon juice fresh recommended but can sub bottled
3 anchovies or about 3" of anchovy past - Can substitute Worcestershire sauce See Note 1.
2 tsps fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt Reduce to ¼ teaspoon if using regular sea salt

Instructions

Dressing

Sprinkle the garlic clove with a pinch sea salt. Using a fork, mash the salt and garlic until it forms a paste.
Combine garlic paste with remaining ingredients and mix well.

Salad

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with a coating of olive oil.
Rinse and toss the cherry tomatoes with 2 tsps olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.
Cut the ends off the pepper and remove the seeds and membranes. Lay flat and slice vertically (julienned). Chop the strips in to 2 or 3 segments depending on how big your pepper is.
Toss the peppers in 2 tsps oil and ½ teaspoon of salt in a separate bowl.
When pan is hot, add tomatoes in one layer. They should sizzle when they hit the pan. Do not disturb for at least 4 minutes. Check one to see if the skin has charred. Timing will depend on the elements heat level. When you see black spots have formed under the tomatoes give them a stir. Tomatoes should be soft and may start to split but they should not be fully collapsed and mushy. You may need to give them another minute or two after you stir them to get the right consistency. (But if you stove is really hot you may not need the extra time.)
See Note 3 for alternate cooking suggestions.
Transfer hot tomatoes to a serving platter.
Add the peppers to the hot skillet and allow them to cook undisturbed about 4 minutes. They will char faster than the tomatoes so watch them carefully. When black forms transfer the peppers to the platter with the tomatoes. Allow mixture to cool about 15 minutes.
While mixture is cooling, tear the mozzarella in to ragged strips or chunks. This will help hold the dressing in the rough edges. Add to the tomato/pepper mix and toss lightly to mix.
Tear several leaves of fresh basil and sprinkle over the salad.
Drizzle dressing over the salad and serve hot or at room temperature. Pass extra dressing on the side if desired.

Notes

Note 1: To substitute Worcestershire sauce for anchovies use 2 tsps of Worcestershire sauce but reduce the red wine vinegar to 4 tsps and lemon juice to 1 tsp. Start with 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire and adjust to taste.

Note 2:

Fresh mozzarella is chosen here for its soft, creamy texture. Regular mozarella would not be appetizing in this recipe.
Burrata, which is a variation of fresh mozzarella would work.
A soft creamy Feta cheese could work. I would reduce the amount to 4 oz and crumble it so the salad isn't too salty.
Another idea would be to use Halloumi if you are working on your BBQ. Halloumi cheese is designed to hold together when grilled so I would grill the Halloumi cheese until it is warm and has grill marks. Add it warm to the salad with the tomatoes and peppers.

Note 3:

To broil or BBQ tomatoes and peppers:

spread the tomatoes on a foil lined baking tray and broil. Watch carefully and remove when they are charred.
Oil a griddle and heat over high heat until charred.
Heat BBQ on high, oil a grill basket or BBQ tray and cook until charred.

Timing will vary with each method depending on level of heat so watch carefully . Allow them to cook undisturbed until charred spots are showing. Stir. Tomatoes should be soft and possibly split but not soft and mushy. Determine if any extra cook time is required after stirring to reach the desired consistency.

Nutrition