Summer vegetable insalata caprese recipe

How does one make the most of an abundance of summer vegetables? Serve them with a touch of fresh cheese, of course! Perhaps you grew an organic vegetable garden to nourish the Earth, extend the pocketbook, and calm the soul. Or perhaps you bought a share in a nearby farm. Or perhaps your mother keeps bringing over her homegrown tomatoes. However you ended up with such a richness of vegetables, appreciate your wealth. They may seem to stare at you pleadingly from the counter or crisper: robust red tomatoes, slender zucchini, and perhaps and fragrant herbs. If only you knew an easy way to incorporate all that nature’s bounty into a quick, summer supper. Don’t worry. Everything is better with cheese.



It’s insalata Caprese, or Caprese salad, to the rescue! Mozzarella works on more than pizza and pasta dinners; it satisfies on salads. A few slices of fresh, soft mozzarella will fill your kitchen with a faint, sweet aroma and your belly with desire. Mozzarella and organic, garden vegetables truly make a winning pair. Caution: never buy blocks of mozzarella that seem rubbery, yellowish, or too hard. If you take the extra time to seek out young, pliant mozzarella, or can afford Italian “Mozzarella di bufala” (Mozzarella made from the milk of water buffalos) your investment of time and money will be greatly rewarded. If there’s no cheese shop near you, upscale chains like Whole Foods sell domestic mozzarella di bufala that’s more affordable. Think you might have some leftover mozzarella in the fridge from the last time you cooked an Italian meal? It’s probably past its prime. Think of Mozzarella like a carton of milk-enjoy it when it is fresh and consume it before it sours. You’ve probably enjoyed a simple Insalata Caprese (salad in the tradition of Capri) at your local pasta restaurant-see how simple and resourceful it is to prepare with organic veggies from your garden or farm stand.

Easy Summer Vegetable Insalata Caprese Recipe

Ingredients:
½ pound fresh, pliant mozzarella cheese
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (try some of the excellent olive oils from California wine country.)

Directions:
1. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into ¼ inch thick slices.
2. Slice the Mozzarella into ¼ inch thick soft slices.
3. Set sliced tomatoes out in a circular pattern on a small platter.
4. Alternate tomatoes slices with slices of mozzarella, discarding any cheese slices that seem too rubbery.
5. Dress each slice of tomato and mozzarella with a fresh basil leaf.
5. Top with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. (Optional- some chefs also sprinkle on parsley or a few capers.)
6. Finally, drizzle on extra virgin olive oil
7. Serve promptly and enjoy the simple summer pleasures.