Tracey's French Style Potato Salad with Tarragon and Tomatoes

I was looking for a salad that would use some excess tomatoes and tarragon I had on hand. I was really hoping for a simple French style potato salad. Since I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for I made this one up. It turned out delicious so I thought I'd share it with you. The measurements are not exact so feel free to add more or less of the ingredients as your taste-buds dictate.
Note: I used a combination of sweet-100 cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes and Better Boy tomatoes and French Tarragon from my garden.

Ingredients
4 whole Yukon Gold potatoes, medium, cut into 6 pieces
3 quarts water, boiling
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons white wine vinegar, approx. or to taste
1 teaspoon dijon mustard, or to taste
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 small clove garlic, put through a garlic press
2-3 whole scallions, sliced or about 1/2 cup, including greens
1 1/2 - 2 cups tomato, 1" dice or if using cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2-3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped, or more to taste
Method
1. Cover the potatoes with 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the water and turn to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 min. or until potatoes are just tender.

2. Meanwhile whisk the olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, pressed garlic and salt and pepper together well.

3. When the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander and pour into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over them and mix well but gently so you don't break up the potatoes. Let them sit until cool.

4. When the potatoes have cooled, slice the scallions, dice the tomatoes and chop the fresh tarragon leaves.
Mix into the cooled potatoes, adjust the salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

5. If you need to make this ahead of time you can put the dressed potatoes into the refrigerator covered for an hour or two. Remove from the fridge and bring back to room temperature before adding the other ingredients and serving.
Do not add the tomatoes, scallions and tarragon until just before serving.

Notes:
My 3-qt All-Clad pan continued boiling even on simmer so I turned off the flame and timed the potatoes for 15 min. They came out perfect.

About 6 servings

Caprese with Yellow Pear Tomatoes and Basil

Made a caprese salad using more of our bounty of Yellow Pear Tomatoes and some potted Basil.

2-3 cups yellow pear tomatoes or cherry tomatoes or a combination, sliced in half.

Couple handfuls of fresh basil, stacked and rolled into cigar shapes then sliced into strips.

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons very good extra-virgin olive oil, more or less to taste

salt and pepper to taste.

You can mix the mozzarella, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper together a little ahead of time if you like but don't put the tomatoes in until just before serving.

Note: Never refrigerate tomatoes as they will lose there flavor.

Yellow Pear Tomato Salad with Orzo and Basil

I have an overabundance of yellow pear tomatoes and needed to figure out a way to use some of them up. I came up with this and since my husband absolutely loved it I decided to post it. I hope you enjoy it as well.

6 servings

1 cup Orzo, dried, whole wheat
2 quarts Water, boiling
2 tbsp salt
¼ cup Olive Oil, good-quality extra virgin
1 whole Lemon, both juice and zest. Zest first and squeeze using a citrus press.
1 tsp Spanish Smoked Paprika
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
½ cup Fresh Basil Leaves, tightly packed. Washed and spun dry in a salad spinner then sliced into strips
2 cups Yellow Pear Tomatoes, sliced in half, or more if you like.

Method
1.In a 4 quart pot: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, add 2 T. salt and the orzo and cook according to directions on the package, about 8 min.
2.Meanwhile: In a large bowl grate the zest of 1 lemon and using a citrus press juice the lemon (you should have about a 1/4 cup.). Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk to blend.
3.Holding the bowl in place with a rolled up towel: Whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream until well blended.
4.When orzo is done: Drain the orzo and pour the hot orzo into the dressing mixing well. Mix in the smoked paprika and let cool.
Do not substitute Hungarian Paprika for the Spanish Smoked Paprika. If you don't have Spanish Smoked just eliminate it from the recipe.
5.Just before serving: Slice up the tomatoes and basil and gently mix in. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve.