Recipe: Heirloom Tomatoes with Grilled Shiitakes and Green Goddess

Recipe by Chef Richard Landau

Chef Rich says, “Chefs start scratching our heads come mid-July, when the stockpiles of heirloom tomatoes outpace our ideas of what to do with them. I developed this salad as a fun take on the flavors of a classic BLT, and you may find it on the Dirt List at Vedge in late summer. Work to get a nice, crispy char on the shiitakes so that they take on a bacon-like smokiness. Better yet, if you’re using an outdoor grill, toss a handful of woodchips on your coals. The throwback green goddess dressing makes use of the abundant summertime basil and could not have a better partner than all those tomatoes.”

Ingredients

Shiitakes

• 10 large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps wipes clean
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Green Goddess Dressing

• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup vegan mayo
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
• 2 teaspoons capers, drained
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tomatoes

• 1 pound heirloom tomatoes or other best-quality tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces mixed baby salad greens

Method

1. Toss the shiitake caps in a medium bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the shiitake caps and sear them, turning occasionally to prevent burning, until they are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. If you prefer to use an outdoor grill, first adjust the grates as close together as possible, then grill the shiitake caps until you see clearly defined grill marks, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. In either preparation, remove the mushrooms from the heat, allow them to cool to the touch, then slice into thin strips. Set aside.
3. Combine all of the green goddess ingredients plus 1 tablespoon water in a blender. Blend until smooth.
4. Slice the tomatoes into thick rounds. Arrange the slices on a serving dish or individual plates, then sprinkle with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the dressing on top of the tomatoes. Top with the grilled shiitake slices and a nice handful of the baby salad greens. Serve immediately.

Credit recipe from Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small That Redefine Vegetable Cooking, copyright © Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, 2013. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold.