Heirloom Tomato Salad

 Made by Chef Jordan Andino on the TODAY show. We enjoyed this a lot - skipped the chic peas...cheated used jarred salsa verde. Especially loved sundried tomato feta whip --so good we were it with crackers like a dip! Yum!!

INGREDIENTS

Whip  

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes 

16 ounces Greek yogurt 

3/4 cup feta cheese, divided 

1/4 cup heavy cream 

1/4 cup Champagne vinegar 

salt, to taste 

Fried Chickpeas

oil, for frying 

1/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained 

salt, to taste 

Salsa Verde 

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped 

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 

1/2 bunch chives, roughly chopped 

2 shallots, minced 

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup olive oil

Red Wine Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons kosher salt 

1½ cups olive oil 

1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, toasted

Salad

1/2 each red, yellow and green beefsteak heirloom tomatoes,sliced 

1/2 cup mixed color heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half 

4 medium-size leaves Boston hydro bibb lettuce 

1/2 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut on the bias 

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

FOR THE WHIP:

In high-powered blender, add sun-dried tomatoes, yogurt, 1/2 cup feta cheese, heavy cream and Champagne vinegar, and blend until fluffy and incorporated. Season with salt to taste. Transfer in a piping bag for easier application.

FOR THE FRIED CHICKPEAS:

1.Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot with oil to 250 F.

2.Drain the chickpeas in strainer and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

3.Bake for 7 minutes to get rid of extra liquid. Remove from oven and then fry until crispy. Remove from the oil to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.

FOR THE SALSA VERDE:

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.

FOR THE RED WINE VINAIGRETTE:

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.

FOR THE SALAD:

1.Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl and dress everything with salt, pepper and the vinaigrette.

2.Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate then pipe the whip around the base of the plate. This does not need to be uniform; it's better if they vary in size.

3.Take the remaining vegetables out of the bowl and start placing them on top of the whip and base leaves, creating a bit of a pyramid.

4.Spoon the salsa verde around the plate to add an additional layer of flavor. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of feta, sprinkle with the fried chickpeas and serve.