Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Salad, Sarah Gavigan of Otaku Ramen and Little Octopus in Nashville

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Acclaimed chef Sarah Gavigan of Nashville restaurants Otaku Ramen and Little Octopus shares a delicious recipe with us. Read our full Q&A with the up-and-coming culinary talent in our sixth print issue of the year.Salad8 heirloom cherry tomatoes4 breakfast radishes1 stalk of celery4 bunch muscadines (or, 10 green grapes)2 tbsp. of goat cheeseCrunchy Seeds2 tbsp. of sunflower seeds2 tbsp. of black and white sesame seeds1 tbsp. of poppy seeds1 tbsp. of pumpkin seedsDressing2 shallots1 cup of red-wine vinegar1/2 cup of agave1 tbsp. of Dijon mustard2 cups of blended oil1 tbsp. salt1 tbsp. pepperCut muscadine, radish and tomatoes into quarters. Peel celery and cut on a bias very thin, almost translucent. Set aside.Gather all crunchy seed ingredients and lightly toast them in a pan. You can use as little or as much of this ingredient as you like, and the remainder can be reserved as a topping for various dishes.For the dressing, chop shallots and combine all ingredients, with the exception of the oil, in a blender. Blend all ingredients and slowly add oil until it has a thick, creamy consistency.Toss tomatoes, radish, celery and muscadines in a bowl. Top with the seed mixture and add two tbsp. of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss everything. Top with more crunchy seeds and fresh torn mint. This story originally appeared in ALIVE Issue 6, 2017. Purchase Issue 6 and become an ALIVE subscriber.Photography by Attilio D’Agostino.