Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small heavy-bottomed saucepan for frying
• •Instant-read or candy thermometer
• •Slotted spoon
• •Sharp serrated knife
• •Large serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the buttermilk ranch

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream until completely smooth. Add the chives, dill, parsley, grated garlic, white wine vinegar, and onion powder. Whisk again until the herbs are evenly distributed. The dressing should be pourable but not thin. Season with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Taste it. Adjust. The tang should hit first, followed by the cool richness, with herbs lingering at the finish.

   Grate the garlic on a Microplane rather than mincing. You want it to dissolve into the dressing, not announce itself in chunks.
2. 2

   Rest the dressing

   Cover the ranch and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining components. This resting period allows the buttermilk to bloom the dried onion powder and lets the fresh herbs release their oils into the dressing. Cold ranch poured over room-temperature tomatoes creates the temperature contrast that makes this salad sing.

3. 3

   Fry the shallots

   Slice the shallots into thin rings, about 1/8 inch thick, and separate them with your fingers. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 325°F. Add the shallots in batches, stirring gently to keep them from clumping. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Watch carefully. They go from golden to burnt in seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon and season immediately with fine salt while still glistening.

   The shallots will continue darkening after you remove them from the oil. Pull them when they're a shade lighter than your target color.
4. 4

   Prepare the tomatoes

   Slice the heirloom tomatoes into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Use a sharp serrated knife and let the blade do the work. Pressing down crushes the cells and releases juice you'd rather keep inside. If your tomatoes are cold from the refrigerator, let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Cold mutes flavor. A room-temperature tomato tastes like summer. A cold one tastes like nothing.

5. 5

   Season the tomatoes

   Arrange the tomato slices on a large platter in a single overlapping layer. Season generously with flaky sea salt. The salt draws moisture to the surface and concentrates the tomato's natural sugars. Let them sit for 5 minutes. You'll see beads of juice forming on the surface. This is good. This is flavor.

6. 6

   Assemble the salad

   Drizzle the cold buttermilk ranch generously over the tomatoes. Don't drown them. You want rivers of white cutting through the reds and yellows, not a blanket obscuring the fruit. Scatter the fried shallots over the top while they're still crisp. Add a final shower of freshly chopped chives. Finish with a few grinds of black pepper and serve immediately.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out tomatoes at farmers' markets where you can smell them before buying. A ripe heirloom should smell intensely of tomato vine and warm earth. If it smells like nothing, it will taste like nothing.
• •The ranch improves after a day in the refrigerator. Make it the night before if you're planning ahead. It keeps well for five days.
• •Save the shallot frying oil. Strained and stored in a jar, it becomes a secret weapon for vinaigrettes, stir-fries, and finishing roasted vegetables. Nothing goes to waste.
• •For a heartier presentation, add torn fresh mozzarella or burrata. The creaminess of good cheese against the acid of the tomatoes and tang of the ranch creates something approaching perfect.

Advance Preparation

• •Buttermilk ranch can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Whisk before serving.
• •Fried shallots stay crisp for about 2 hours at room temperature. For best results, fry them just before serving.
• •Do not slice the tomatoes until you're ready to assemble. Cut tomatoes weep and lose their structural integrity within an hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 454g)