Caprese Tastes and Vino Lunch Experimentivo: recipe included

Caprese Salad: summer infused flavor

I was craving something Italian and my aunt gifted us with some lovely, perfectly ripened tomatoes from her garden. I immediately had to make caprese salad. Best of all, I had everything at home and didn't have to venture out for supplies. Recipe is coming soon if you can wait until the end of the almost edible pictures.

Food...Mmmm!

Black and White for Fun

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction and Thyme Salt

The Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Ovoline piece of fresh mozzarella sliced thinly

3 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar reduced until thick

6 Large basil leaves cut into a chiffonade

1 ripe organic, homegrown tomato from my aunt's garden (or Farmer's Market)

Thyme infused salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. The salt with fresh thyme is put in a zip lock back in the fridge for as long as you'd like. You can do this with sugar and any other herbs you like. I love the flavor of lavender salt and sugar a lot.

Procedures/Instructions:

1. Reduce the balsamic vinegaron a low tempature. Keep an eye on it and stir often as you cut the tomato and other ingredients.

2. Cut tomatoes into half slices thinly. Place half of them on the serving dish. Sprinkle with thyme salt and grind some black pepper on the tomato.

3. Chiffonade the Basil by stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them up and chopping thinly to create long strips. Put half the basil on the plate with the first layer of tomato.

4. Cut the mozzarella in half and thinly slice. Layer half of the cheese onto the plate and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Put half of the balsamic vinegar on the salad.

6. Layer the rest of the ingredients on top and salt and pepper. 

7. Decorate the plate if you'd like with the balsamic reduction (it's delicious and tastes like candy at this point). Make sure to put every last drop onto the salad! And, wash the pan or soak it immediately because the balsamic gets sticky and hard to wash off (helpful hint!).

8. You can add a variation with garlic in it, but roast the garlic first because it is very strong if not cooked a little. I like it roasted because of the sweet flavor bouncing of the basil and balsamic. 

Enjoy!!!