Tomato Salad With Lavender Dressing

From AARP.com.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Vinaigrette

• 1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar (white balsamic vinegar for this recipe)
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  teaspoon  chopped  lavender leaves
• 1  teaspoon  chopped  lavender flowers
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons honey
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Salad

• 4  handfuls arugula, heavy stems removed (we prefer baby arugula purchased at the farmers' market as there are no thick stems to remove)
• 5  assorted medium  heirloom tomatoes (I used different varieties of heirloom toms including 'chocolate cherry')
• 3  ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 -6  dried dates, pitted and diced

• Garnish

•  lavender, bloom (optional)

Directions

1. Slice the tomatoes in rounds over a small bowl to collect any liquid. Place the tomatoes in a separate bowl and let them sit for 30 minutes.
2. To make the vinaigrette, combine the tomato liquid, olive oil, both vinegars, garlic, lavender leaves and blooms and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. *Be careful* how much salt you add. There is plenty of it in the feta cheese.
3. Divide the arugula equally among four chilled salad plates.
4. Place the tomato rounds atop the arugula. Sprinkle with the feta and top with the dates.
5. Cover and chill until ready to eat or serve immediately.
6. Just before serving, if desired garnish each serving with a small snip of a lavender bloom.
7. Serve vinaigrette on the side.
8. Note: The forty minutes prep time includes allowing the tomatoes to sit for 30 minutes as directed in Step #1.