Summer Tomato Seafood and Bean Salad

Beans, seafood and tomatoes are a classic European mix my Mother taught me long ago.  Simple to toss together on a hot summer day, and great for a picnic, this dish is ultimately flexible and fresh for a hot summer lunch or dinner.
1 10-oz can beans, rinsed and drained, Garbanzo or Canellini
1 12-oz can crab, tuna or salmon meat, drained, or equivalent cooked and cooled

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp dried dill

1 anchovy fillet
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp Kosher coarse salt
4 ripe tomatoes, medium (tennis-ball) sized
12-16 fresh basil leaves

Gently fold together the beans and the seafood. 

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and dill. On a cutting board, mash together the anchovy, garlic and salt with the tines of a sturdy fork.  The coarse salt helps grind the mixture together to form a paste.  Stir paste into the dressing and gently fold dressing into the bean mixture.

Using a sharp paring knife, core the stem section out of the top of the tomato. Carefully slice the tomato in half almost, but not completely to the bottom.  Now turn knife a quarter turn and slice down another wedge in the same way, almost, but not completely to the bottom.  Repeat, turning, until the whole tomato is butterflied. 

Lay 3-4 basil leaves on each of four plates. Gently spread the tomato apart and place one on top of basil leaves on each plate.  Spoon one quarter of Canelinni mixture on top of each tomato.

Cook's Note: This dish can also be made using canned or fresh seafood.  This is a nice light, inexpensive summer picnic meal, perfect for summer picnics; pack into a cooler and listen to music in the park! Here are Canelini, tuna and tomato.

In one version I used canned flageolets, which I seem only to find in France.

Use whatever beans you like and have on hand. In the cover photo above, I used brown Kumatoes, which are sweet this time of year. Here are flageolets, salmon and kumato.