Marilyn's Marinated Tomato Salad

One of the beauties of this dish is its versatility. Garlic lovers like me can add a second clove to the marinade. Other variations include substituting Balsamic for Red Wine vinegar and oregano for basil. Grated romano or parmesean is good sprinkled over the tomatoes just before serving, or Romano cheese powder added to the marinade. In late summer when the Farmers Markets are loaded with all types of tomatoes, I'll use a combination of tomatoes from heirlooms to super-sweet yellow grape. The color contrast is as appealing as that of the flavor. I accidentally discovered that the marinade is easily converted to a 'creamy' salad dressing. Instead of whisking the marinade, I once used a stick blender to combine it. The mustard powder acted as an emulsifier and the result was very thick, almost creamy which clings well to a salad. I've also had great success using the marinade as is or with slight variations on meats and seafood before grilling. For a vegan salad, use a vegan sugar like beet sugar or evaporated cane juice.