Matthew Woolen is a master pastry chef and has worked in a variety of Seattle restaurants, including gastropub Old Sage, Zhu Dang, and a gluten-free restaurant called Capitol Cider.

Matthew Woolen

This grilled tomato vinaigrette is a great way to use up gorgeous, in-season tomatoes. We originally developed it for a riff on <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/grilled-stone-fruit-panzanella">panzanella</a>, but we liked it so much that we felt it deserved a recipe all of its own.Even after charring tomatoes on the grill, they still contain a bunch of water. To account for it, we reduce sherry vinegar to concentrate its acidity and flavor. Buzz the tomatoes, vinegar, and oil up with an immersion blender, and you’ve got a creamy, emulsified dressing, with faint notes of fennel and black pepper.Slightly sweet, super savory, and a little smoky from the charred tomato skin, the vinaigrette can be used to dress any salad you can think of—you can even use it in a panzanella. It’s also excellent drizzled over couscous, as a finishing sauce for grilled fish, or as a condiment for grilled <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/magic-grilled-chicken-legs-in-half-the-time">chicken</a> or meat, like our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/blackened-tri-tip">Blackened Tri-Tip Steak Salad</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/how-to-grill-vegetables-and-mushrooms">grilled vegetables</a>, like squash, mushrooms, and eggplant.

Grilled Tomato Vinaigrette