Peak season heirloom tomatoes don’t need much fanfare to shine. Here you’ll play up their natural sweetness and acidity with a rich swoosh of crème fraîche and a seedy savory granola-like topping for crunch. Salt-cured black olives (the wrinkly, oily-looking ones, as opposed to canned black olives) are the key to the textural topper. They turn slightly crisp and meaty in the oven and play nicely with the granola’s other savory elements: crunchy sunflower seeds, herbaceous fennel seeds, and salty-sweet soy sauce.
What you’ll need
Brass and Marble Servingware
$40 $32 At Williams-Sonoma
East Fork Serving Platter
$160 At East Fork
Serrated Knife
$26 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$32 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°. Toss ½ cup salt-cured black olives, pitted, coarsely chopped, ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds, 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, 1½ tsp. fennel seeds, and pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, ½ tsp. soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in an even layer and bake until golden brown, 14–16 minutes. Let granola cool.
Step 2
Arrange 2 lb. heirloom tomatoes, sliced into ½"-thick rounds, on a large plate or baking sheet; drizzle with oil and season with kosher salt. Gently turn to coat well.
Step 3
Stir one 8-oz. container crème fraîche and 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice in a small bowl to combine; season with kosher salt. Spread crème fraîche mixture across a platter, then top with seasoned tomatoes, leaving any juices on plate behind. Scatter granola and dill sprigs over and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
