Do not toss the salad with the dressing until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Shallots can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
If desired, the salad can be topped with more fresh basil.
Goat cheese, feta or avocado make a good topping for this salad.
Almonds can be substituted with pecans, walnuts or pine nuts. To get rid of nuts, use pepitas or sunflower seeds.