I had lunch at Restaurant Le Relais Chenonceaux in Chenonceaux, France, where I was served the most delightful twist on a Caprese salad. Instead of the classic combination of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, this version featured capers, cured black olives, and fresh parmesan shavings — a simple yet divine variation.
I wanted something light yet satisfying since I would be having a big dinner out that evening, and this was perfect. I call this dish tomato carpaccio because it's the same recipe for beef carpaccio, only made with tomatoes instead of beef.
It's now a regular on our family's summer menu. Serve this as a first course or as a main dish, followed by a light dessert such as a fruit clafoutis or fresh fruit of the season with a small piece of dark chocolate. It's also lovely and simple for summer entertaining.
Tomato Salad at Restaurant Le Relais Chenonceaux
Ripe summer tomatoes
Fresh parmesan cheese
Capers
Extra virgin olive oil
Mixed greens
Optional: French vinaigrette dressing for the mixed greens
Slice the tomatoes and place them on a serving platter.
Top the tomatoes with capers, olives, and shavings of parmesan cheese. Tip: use a vegetable peeler to shave the parmesan.
Drizzle the tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or Celtic salt and fresh ground pepper.
Add mixed greens on top with another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, or toss the salad with French vinaigrette dressing and then place on top of the tomatoes.
Serve and enjoy!
You may also enjoy these dishes:
Tomatoes with goat cheese and arugula
Tomato basil burrata proscuitto salad
Tomato capers onion basil salad