Tomato Addiction

I got this recipe from my mom. My sister Karen fixed it often. It’s best when fresh, homegrown tomatoes are at their peak.

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 fresh, sliced tomatoes (or lots of halved cherry or cherub tomatoes)
• 1/3 white onion, thinly sliced (Personally, I prefer red onion, but to each his own)
• dried oregano
• garlic salt
• kosher salt
• olive oil

Moderately sprinkle surface of combined tomatoes and onions with oregano. Sprinkle the surface with kosher salt, then sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Moderatly cover with drizzled olive oil. With a wooden spoon or salad tongs, toss for at least 5 minutes or until the juice turns very pink.  (Yes, you read that right.  Toss for at least 5 minutes.)

Go outside and pick some fresh oregano from your herb garden to use as a garnish, if you have some.

If you aren’t currently growing any oregano, think about doing so. It’s a low maintenance perennial.  You gotta love an herb that keeps coming back year after year with virtually no work on your part.

If you aren’t used to using fresh oregano, there are a few things you need to know.  Never cut more than 1/3 of the way down a stalk of oregano.  If you cut parts of the plant back too much, you risk killing it.  When you use fresh oregano, you need to take the leaves off the stem. The stem is too woody to eat.  (You don’t like to chomp on twigs, do you?).  If you hold the top of the stem and slide your other thumb and index finger down the stem, the leaves pop off.