Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad

Sweltering Southern summers are the inspiration for some of our most refreshing dishes. When it's too hot to cook, we look to our farmers' market baskets and get creative. Bought extra watermelon? Make a gazpacho. Corn too fresh to pass up? Whip up a simple Black Bean and Corn Salsa to go with your porch margarita. But our favorite ingredient to play with on a hot summer day? A fresh, juicy tomato.Colorful summertime tomatoes are the base of some of reader-favorite seasonal dishes. You can smoke 'em, roast 'em, fry 'em, or just simply slice and salt 'em. One surefire way to infuse them with flavor is to marinate them. Try soaking heirloom tomatoes at home in a homemade vinaigrette at room temperature for 20 minutes. This allows them to release their juices, absorb the favors, and break down to become more tender.Once marinated, let these tangy heirloom tomatoes steal the show in a simple summer salad that's perfect to serve on the patio, at a picnic, or just because. Simply combine the heirlooms with beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sea salt, and fresh herbs. Ten minutes of slicing, drizzling, sprinkling, and arranging later, and you'll have created a cool side dish, no oven or heat needed. With this much color, we wouldn't be surprised if our Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad outshines any summertime main it's served alongside.