Heirloom Tomatoes With Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

Heirloom Tomatoes With Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

The chef Melissa King captures the scent and flavor of ripe summer tomatoes in this savory dish inspired by a green papaya salad she learned to cook in Thailand and the Vietnamese nuoc cham she grew up with in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California. Adapted from a recipe in her book, “Cook Like a King: Recipes From My California Chinese Kitchen” (Ten Speed Press, 2025), this juicy salad, crunchy with peanuts and fried shallots, can be turned into a more filling meal with the addition of cooked and cooled rice noodles. Ms. King suggests tossing everything with olive oil-fried bread crumbs for a sort-of panzanella. She also recommends adding very thinly sliced fresh makrut lime leaves for their aroma if you can find them.

Yield: 4 servings

For the fish sauce vinaigrette

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot

¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar or honey

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and finely ground black pepper

1 to 2 fresh Thai chiles (optional), thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad

2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into pretty pieces

Handful of mint or shiso leaves, finely chopped

Handful of cilantro leaves and tender stems or Thai basil leaves, finely chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

¼ cup fried shallots, homemade or store-bought

Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, combine the garlic and shallot with the lime juice and let sit for 2 minutes to tame their sharpness. Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, salt, a few turns of pepper and the chiles (if using). Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly, until emulsified. (The vinaigrette will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

Make the salad: Add the tomatoes, mint and cilantro to the vinaigrette bowl. Season with a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of pepper, and toss gently but well.

Arrange the tomatoes in a large, shallow bowl in an even layer and pour the vinaigrette over them. Generously drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little flaky salt. Sprinkle on the peanuts and shallots, and serve immediately.

TIP: Exceeded all expectations. The fish sauce melts away into the lime in the most lovely, salty, perfect tomato juice dressing. We added a cucumber for extra crunch and ate the whole salad straight from the bowl leaning on the counter in the kitchen. It was that good!