Plum And Tomato Salad With Arugula Pesto And Goat Cheese

Georgia Olive Farm oil is the star in this salad

To learn more about this recipe, click the following link to read the related story, "Georgia, Olive You," in Tasting Table's National edition.

Recipe adapted from Sean Brock, Husk, Nashville, Tennessee

Plum And Tomato Salad With Arugula Pesto And Goat Cheese
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Sean Brock reserves Georgia Olive Farm oil for drizzling, but here he's made a peppery pesto for this plum and tomato salad.
Prep Time
15
minutes
Cook Time
5
minutes
Servings
4
servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
  • Pesto
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 8 cups baby arugula
  • 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
  • ¼ cup finely grated pecorino cheese
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably from Georgia Olive Farms)
  • Salad
  • 4 large heirloom tomatoes
  • 3 ripe plums--halved, pitted and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup raspberry vinegar
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably from Georgia Olive Farms)
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ pound fresh goat's milk cheese (chèvre), crumbled
  • 2 cups arugula
Optional Ingredients
  • Arugula blossoms, for serving (optional)
Directions
  1. Make the pesto: To a small skillet set over medium heat, add the pine nuts and cook until they are lightly toasted, shaking the skillet often, for about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium plate, and then add them to a blender jar along with the arugula, garlic, pecorino, salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly begin drizzling in the ⅔ cup of olive oil, blending until very smooth.
  2. Assemble the salad: Slice a tomato into 4 rounds. Slice another tomato into 4 wedges. Chop the remaining tomatoes into ½-inch cubes. Place the tomatoes and plum slices on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the raspberry vinegar and remaining ½ cup of oil, then season with the salt and pepper.
  3. Onto each of 4 plates place 1 tomato slice, 1 tomato wedge and 2 tomato cubes. Add several plum slices to each plate. Add a few generous dollops of arugula pesto and sprinkle some of the goat's milk cheese over the tomatoes. Finish with a few arugula leaves and blossoms (if using). Serve immediately.
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