Ingredients

• 1/4 cup canola oil 
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 8 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt divided
• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes halved, divided
• 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 4 heirloom tomatoes (about 700 g), cut in 1/2-in. wedges
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion 
• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves 
• 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped dill 

Procedure

1. Combine canola and sesame oils and garlic in a small saucepan set over medium. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, watching closely and stirring constantly, until garlic just turns golden-brown, 3 to 5 min. Immediately pour into a small heatproof bowl. Stir in red pepper flakes, sesame seeds and 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Measure out 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (preferably red) and transfer to a blender. Add vinegar and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Whirl until smooth. Pour tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. You should have about 1/3 cup dressing. Discard solids.
3. Arrange remaining cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes and red onion on a large platter. Drizzle tomato dressing overtop, then garlic-chili crisp. Sprinkle with cilantro and dill.

Cook’s Notes

All that mouth-watering research is how I got hooked on the tomato-chili crisp combo. Back in my kitchen, I quartered ripe tomatoes and added a splash of rice vinegar, a glug of oil, and a pinch of flaky salt. Next came a generous spoonful of chili crisp from my neighborhood Asian grocer, the perfect peppery garnish for the cool tomatoes. After a few bites, I threw in a few hunks of leftover mozzarella di bufala and spooned on even more chili crisp. And that’s the beauty of the salad of the summer—it is whatever you make of it.