This recipe comes from Gary Ibsen, founder of Tomato Fest, a celebration of heirloom tomatoes in Carmel, California. The recipe can be served as a first course, a main dish or as an accompaniment to grilled meat.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 slices firm white sandwich bread
• 6 large, heirloom tomatoes, assorted colors, if possible
• 6 slices bacon, chopped fine, sautéed, drained on power towels, reserve the grease
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• ½-teaspoon salt
• ¼ -teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled

Procedure

1. Use a cookie cutter to cut the bread into rounds, toast on both sides and set aside. Carefully slice the tomatoes into 1/3 inch slices and set aside.
2. Warm the bacon grease in a skillet, adding half the salt and black pepper. Add the sherry vinegar to the warm bacon fat and slowly whisk in the olive oil. Remove from heat.
3. Build a tower on each bread round alternating slices from different tomatoes, sprinkling each with salt, pepper and a dab of cheese. When done, spoon the warm dressing over the tomato, top with the cooked bacon and serve with additional bread, rice or pasta as a main course

Gary Ibsen, from One Big Table, to be published by Simon and Schuster, 2007