Tomato, Watermelon and Strawberry Salad by Lorin Fahrmeier of Fahrmeier Farms

I will admit, when I made the salad that I came up with in this photo, I didn't love my recipe... which is why I didn't shared it with you.  Lorin Fahrmeier sent me the recipe (below) as another version to try- it won an award last Spring, so it's gotta be good!  It is very similar to the version I came up with when I took this photo, but the drizzle is a balsamic dressing (yum) with tarragon and feta cheese (yum, yum).  So... The salad in the photo is so, so.  The salad in the recipe is amazing.  I hope that isn't too confusing...  For further clarification, the pictured salad is similar to the recipe below, but is missing the feta cheese and balsamic dressing that is included in the new and improved recipe.

Lorin is the newest addition (besides their new son- 6 weeks older than Emma) to the Fahrmeier Farms crew- she married my cousin a couple of years ago.  Their entire family operates a farm that specializes is growing high quality produce of classic and heirloom varieties.  As I mentioned before, their prize crop of heirloom tomatoes was the inspiration for my Tomato Tasting Dinner Party- they have countless varieties, and know every detail about each one. 

They sell their goods at farmers' markets, grocery stores, local gourmet restaurants and their own farm stands.  Not only are they excellent at growing beautiful fruits and vegetables, but they are truly experts in their field- focusing as much on educating consumers on the importance of eating local as they do sharing great ways to prepare their produce.   They have a vast collection of recipes (probably both out of necessity and abundance of crops...) that they've come up with or that have been shared with them by local chefs and eager customers.  Thanks for sharing this one with me, Lorin - it is much better than the version I originally came up with!

award winning

Tomato, Watermelon and Strawberry Salad
This recipe for a Tomato, Watermelon and Strawberry Salad comes courtesy of Lorin Fahrmeier of Fahrmeier Farms.

Ingredients:

2 beefsteak (or other large variety) tomatoes, stemmed, washed and dried. (I like to use colorful heirloom varieties or yellow tomatoes to add a pop of color and keep the tomatoes at room temperature to ensure the best flavor)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, stemmed, washed and dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves (lemon basil is also a good substitute)
1 pint local strawberries, hulled, washed and cut into very small pieces
2 cups cold watermelon, rind removed, seeded and cut into bite-size cubes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons superfine (or granulated) sugar
1 small container feta cheese

Dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (Use a good quality balsamic. I’ve also used a strawberry balsamic before.)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes on a flat surface. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and the larger ones into slices. Arrange all of them in a single layer, flesh side up on a serving platter. Season them with salt, black pepper and sugar. Next arrange the strawberries over the top of the tomatoes. Add watermelon cubes as the top layer. Drizzle the dressing over the top. Finally, sprinkle the tarragon and feta over the top to finish the salad. Serve Immediately.



To see the entire Heirloom Tomato Tasting Party with recipes and tips, click here!