Summer Simple Yum: Caprese Salad

 

 

I have had a love affair with caprese anything for what feels like forever. With this caprese appetizer being my go-to for guests or just myself, when I saw today’s recipe in Bon Appétit’s recent issue, I couldn’t wait to make it my own. The triumvirate of flavors: tomato, mozzarella and basil, no further perfection is necessary. And when the temperatures begin to rise, nobody wants to step into the kitchen to turn the oven, and with this recipe, you do not have to.

Simply head to your local produce stand or step into your garden, select the freshest tomatoes (the more variety of color and size the better for a eye-catching presentation), pick up your preferred version of mozzarella (I used burrata, which made it a bit creamier and less neat, but the flavor was decadence beyond delight), clip some fresh basil from your herb garden, say hello to your local baker as you pick up a fresh loaf of crusty bread, maybe a bottle of rosé (why not?), find your sea salt, pepper meal and olive oil, and you are set.

Caprese Salad

No oven required. Fresh from the market, add decadence with fresh mozzarella. Add wine, good friends, conversation and voilà!

Servings6-8 servings

Prep Time10 minutes

Passive Time20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8tomatoes heirloom, fresh, flavorful, in seasona variety of sizes and colors, whole 1/4" slices, as well as quartered
• 1/2cup grape tomatoessliced in half
• 1ball burrata, mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella cheeserip into bite size pieces
• 1/4cup extra virgin olive oiladd as much or as little to taste (1/4 cup is approximate)
• sea salt
• fresh ground pepper
• fresh artisan crusty bread
• 1/4cup fresh basilchopped roughly

Instructions

1. Slice and tomatoes in a variety of sizes as it will be enjoyed with a knife a fork. However, if you want them all uniform, slice them as you prefer. Presentation with a variety of sizes adds a rustic touch and reveals the variety of different tomatoes included.
2. Add the pieces of ripped mozzarella. I used burrata which makes the dish appear more creamy and less uniform and neat, but buffalo or regular fresh mozzarella will change keep the neat presentation.
3. Place tomatoes and mozzarella mixture into the platter you wish to you to serve. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Let the dish sit for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
5. Sprinkle fresh basil on top, serve with crusty torn pieces of bread and dive in!

 

~View more TSLL Recipes here.

from The Simply Luxurious Life®