3 lbs tomatoes -cut in half through their “equator”
1 English cucumber, seeded and diced (no need to peel)
4-6 Sweet Peppers, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon Tabasco
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, best quality
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, best quality
1 tsp salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Place the diced onions in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain.
Holding each tomato half over a large mixing bowl, use a finger to scoop out the seeds and juices (those will make up part of the dressing). You can also gently squeeze the tomato half to push out the seeds. Remove the cores and dice the tomatoes, then add it to the bowl with the tomato juices/seeds along with the drained onions and remaining salad ingredients. Toss well.
Chill the salad the refrigerator for at least 1½ hours and up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to marry. During this time, the vegetables will exude more juice, so you’ll need to taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and more Tabasco before serving, if necessary. Spoon the vegetables and dressing into bowls and serve cold with soup spoons.
Note: It may seem odd to juice and seed the tomatoes when they end up as part of the salad anyway. The reason behind that is to preserve both. Otherwise, they tend to spill off the cutting board and make a mess (especially if you have very juicy tomatoes).
