The taste of tomato season can be unparalleled, especially when incorporated into a simple, yet savory salad. This masterpiece is embellished with a vinaigrette, the secret ingredient being a squeeze of fresh juice from resplendent heirloom tomatoes. These tomatoes, cherished for their multitude of colors and ripe sweetness, lend their liquid to soften the mustard's tang and the bite of the shallots in the salad.

The advantage of this salad is that it can conveniently be prepared a day or two in advance, especially if you are hosting and pressed for time. A handy tip favored by both meal-preppers and hosts involves adding the freshly-made vinaigrette to the bottom of the salad bowl, layering washed and dried salad greens on top without mixing, covering it with a moist towel, and stashing it in the fridge until it's time to eat. Only toss the salad just before it's ready to be served.

This salad is ideally complemented by a roast chicken. It is also advised to have a baguette or two handy to mop up every delicious drop of chicken juice or vinaigrette left on the plate. This salad is an open canvas for customization. Use a variety of your preferred leafy greens, from butter lettuce to red leaf or Little Gem, for a surefire hit with the crowd. For those who wish to prepare this salad when tomatoes are not at their peak, a little extra honey can be added to the vinaigrette to compensate for the tomatoes' natural sweetness.

To keep the vinaigrette fresh, it can be sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

The recipe calls for: 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 pound ripe heirloom tomatoes, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 large head of leafy greens such as butter lettuce. The preparation involves marinating the shallot in a mixture of vinegar, fine sea salt and black pepper, then letting it sit for 15 minutes. Simultaneously, the tomatoes are halved and squeezed for juice. After the shallots have been added to this mix, along with mustard and honey, the olive oil is gradually whisked in to create a thickened dressing. Following this, the fine sea salt and black pepper are added. The vinaigrette is tossed with the greens, garnished with flaky sea salt, and served immediately.

This invigorating recipe is a rendition authorized by Chronicle Books, of Rebekah Peppler's original found in her book, Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, released in 2024. The stunning photographs are captured by Joann Pai.