Heirloom Tomato, Hothouse Cucumber, Basil, and Watercress Salad with Shallot, Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

A super simple salad that tastes amazing, especially when you use tomatoes freshly harvested from your own garden. I like the heirloom variety Black Krim (very prolific this year), but any other beefsteak type tomato will work well in this recipe, e.g., Brandywine or Cherokee Purple. If you don't happen to have home grown tomatoes, then by all means just use the ripest vine-ripened or hothouse tomatoes you can find at your local supermarket. 

Ingredients:

3 large (preferably heirloom) tomatoes, cut into large dice (4-6 cups)

1 hothouse cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 cup of watercress leaves
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 packet of stevia (or 1 tsp. of sugar)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1. Mix the diced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, shallots, basil and watercress together in a large bowl. 

2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over the tomato mixture and toss well.

3. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. If not using by that time, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Black Krim tomatoes from the garden.

Cut the tomatoes into large dice.

Tomatoes, sliced shallots, basil, watercress, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Sliced hothouse cucumbers.

Cucumbers added to the mix.

Delish!