On Wow Farms tomato salad........

 As many of you already know I have a strong passion for southeast Asian cuisine for several reasons. The food is fresh, vibrant, complex yet simple, and full of flavor. It was only natural for me to lean towards southeast Asian flavor profiles when revamping the heirloom tomato salad that we currently have on our menu. We get our heirlooms from a family owned farm in Waimea; the product that we receive from them is superb on so many levels. The tomatoes are picked the same day they are delivered to us, not a lot of restaurants can say that.
  Adding an element of acidity is one of the methods that I use to accentuate or highlight an ingredient. This technique lends itself very well to the natural sweetness that you find in a good quality tomato of any kind. The first thing that came to my head was nuoc mam pha which is a chili condiment you would find at most Vietnamese restaurants that you go to. The most basic form is made by mixing dried chilies, sugar, vinegar, garlic, and fish sauce in a small sauce pot, bringing it up to a boil, and then cooling it down. I made a small batch of the condiment and tried it with the tomatoes, the flavors really complimented each other while bringing out the natural tangy sweetness of the tomato. I paired the heirlooms with fresh herbs, green radish, and some local hearts of palm.
  The end result was a beautiful looking salad that embodies everything I love about southeast Asian cuisine. Fresh, vibrant, complex yet simple, and full of flavor. Here are some pictures I took of the dish.