Summer tomato salad with cashew-goat cheese, sumac, & pomegranate molasses

Summer is here! I'm awash in vibrancy.  The season is still very green, but colors are starting to peak out as the long hours under the sun.  This dish is deceptively easy to throw together (especially if you use a store bought vegan cream cheese), just takes a little time but no real finesse in spite of what the pictures may imply.   It is also exceptionally tasty, hitting many flavor points; creamy, tart, umami, bright.

Sumac and pomegranate molasses are two very underrepresented ingredients in modern cooking.  You can find them both at middle eastern markets, as well as some eastern European markets as well (think Armenian, for example). 

Summer tomato salad with cashew-goat cheese, sumac, & pomegranate molasses

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 tsp sumac, ground 
• 2 tsp pomegranate molasses 
• 800 g heirloom tomatoes 
• 4 T vegan goat cheese (I don't have my own solid recipe yet)
• Fresh greens to garnish (baby lettuce, arugula, slivered basil, etc.)
• Salt & Pepper 

Combine the oil, sumac, some grinds of black pepper, and molasses in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until combined. Set aside. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on a serving plate. Season with sea salt. Drop a little cashew cheese on each pile of tomatoes and scatter the salad leaves around. 

Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes and leaves. Grind some salt and sprinkle some pepper atop. Serve immediately.