Summer On A Plate: Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad with Grilled Strip Steak and Sweet Corn

After a trip to the farm stand, I can hardly get home to fast enough to enjoy the treasures I have in tow. Yesterday was certainly no different.  I satisfied by obsession with multicolored heirloom tomatoes and a bag of sweet corn on the cob fresh from the field. My absolute favorite flavor combination is sweet summer heirloom tomatoes and torn basil dressed lightly with balsmic vinegar, olive oil, and a little salt piled high on good crusty bread charred slightly from the grill and rubbed with garlic.  I took the concept of that tomato bruschetta and gave it just a slight twist by turning it into a salad and adding crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese which matched so perfectly with the meatiness of the New York strip steak. An ear of sweet, juicy, burst in your mouth corn on the cob is the essence of summer and when grilled the natural goodness is delightfully highlighted with a few little carmelized kernels.  

Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad

1 loaf good sourdough bread, cubed

Heirloom tomatoes, variety of sizes and colors, cut into bite sized pieces

1 garlic clove, minced

extra virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

Maytag blue cheese, crumbled (optional)

basil, torn

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss well to combine flavors and evenly coat each cube of bread.  Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until croutons are brown and crunchy. 

Meanwhile, place tomatoes in a large mixing bowl with basil, garlic, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Using your hands, toss the ingredients together and gently squeeze the tomatoes to release some of their juices.  Tumble in the warm croutons and stir well to combine.  The crunchy croutons will absorb the garlicky tomato juices, olive oil and vinegar.  Just before serving crumbles of blue cheese and gently toss to combine.