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| From blog |
I know that summer is not quite here yet, but there is a salad that seems to be synonymous with the season - a Caprese. Now, I know it’s been done, been there, over-hyped on menus, but it is one of those salads that seem to be everyone’s favorite. Whether you are growing your own tomatoes and basil, or finding some fat, succulent early varieties in the market, a perfectly prepared Caprese is one I never seem to tire.
For a class last week, I found some tomatoes on the vine at the market which had that distinctive tomato aroma. Both red and yellow varieties. And then some fresh basil plants just waiting to be plucked and used right next to the tomatoes. Down the aisles to the cheese section was a container of *perline* mozzarella, pearl sized mozzarella balls, hence the name.
Slicing the tomatoes 1/4″ thick, placed in a concentric circle with yellows in the center, red on the perimeter, they were topped with julienne cut basil leaves, and then the mozzarella balls, drained of their whey.
For dressing, I drizzled my finest extra virgin olive oil over the entire salad, sprinkled on finishing salt (coarser than kosher), and then a bit of ground black pepper. No vinegar necessary. Tomatoes are acidic enough. A salad so easy to prepare couldn’t be more eye-catching. Topped with a chive blossom for color and a basil sprig, it was finished!
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| From blog |
Come August and September, this salad will be making more of an appearance on my dining table, when my tomatoes are ready for picking and the basil leaves are the size of small paddles. I can’t wait. But in the meantime, these vine-ripened tomatoes will have to do.
