Warm Tomato and Guajillo Confit Salad with Bitter Greens

Introduction

Fresh from the morning market haul, this confit salad bridges slow-simmered warmth with crisp Pacific coastal freshness. Meltingly sweet heirloom tomatoes, smashed garlic, and gentle guajillo chiles bathe slowly in Sonoma olive oil before pooling warm over chilled bitter chicories, avocado, and crunchy pepitas.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Sonoma extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups multi-colored heirloom cherry tomatoes, gently pricked with a knife
• 8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into thin ribbons
• 2 strips fresh Ojai citrus or Meyer lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more to taste
• 4 cups torn bitter greens, such as Castelfranco radicchio and Little Gem leaves
• 1 small bulb fennel, shaved paper-thin
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons California verjus or fresh lime juice
• 1 ripe Hass avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup toasted salted pepitas

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C).
2. In a shallow baking dish, combine the olive oil, pricked cherry tomatoes, smashed garlic, guajillo chile ribbons, citrus peel, Mexican oregano, and flaky sea salt.
3. Transfer to the oven and confit for 45 to 50 minutes until the tomatoes are tender and translucent but still hold their shape and the garlic is buttery.
4. While the confit bakes, arrange the torn chicories, shaved fennel, cilantro, and mint on a wide serving platter, tossing lightly with the verjus and a pinch of salt.
5. Tuck the sliced avocado between the crisp greens.
6. Remove the confit from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes so the oil is warm rather than hot.
7. Spoon the warm confit tomatoes, garlic cloves, and chile strips generously over the chilled salad, drizzling several spoonfuls of the aromatic confit oil across the platter.
8. Garnish with toasted pepitas and an extra sprinkle of flaky sea salt, serving immediately.

Serve this dish family-style right off the platter while the confit oil is pleasantly warm against the chilled, crisp leaves. Bottle up any remaining infused tomato-chile oil in a jar to drizzle over grilled sourdough all week long.

Emily