This tomato and strawberry salad is a perfect example of how two fresh ingredients, that are not often combined on one plate, can make a delicious dish in less than 5 minutes. It has an incredible mix of textures and flavors. A drizzle of tangy balsamic gives it the tartness, that perfectly balances the sweetness of ripe, juicy strawberries and cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 pint strawberries
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used Blush tomatoes here)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic
basil, a few sprigs
salt
Sesame seeds (toasted in a pan until aromatic)

Instructions:

With a knife, remove the green calyx (yup, that’s what it’s called) from the strawberries. Slice in half or quarters depending on size. You want them around the same size as the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half.
Arrange the strawberries and tomatoes on serving plates. Pour the olive oil into a spoon and use that to drizzle over the tomatoes and strawberries. Repeat with the balsamic vinegar. Using a spoon gives you control and prevents putting way too much vinegar and oil.
Season the salad with salt, basil leaves and a good sprinkling of sesame seeds (about 1 tablespoon).

Tips
The strawberries and tomatoes go really well together as they support and contrast each other with their sweetness and acidity. Balsamic vinegar adds to that sweet and sour taste and the sesame brings out a nice nutty flavor to the dish.