September 5, 2012

Caprese Salad

Not a unique summer meal, but one you definitely need to get into your dinner rotation before tomato season ends and/or it gets too chilly to dine on the patio:

Caprese Salad

Baguette slices. (I used a homemade sourdough baguette that I had rolled in sesame seeds before baking.  The sesame seeds add such a nice nuttiness.) 

Anyhow, thin baguette slices rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, drizzled with good local olive oil, sprinkled with coarse salt and broiled a couple minutes until almost crisp.  (They'll continue to crisp as they cool.)  Served along side a swirl of sliced heirloom tomatoes (I had a large yellow/orange striped tomato and a small green speckled tomato) with sliced fresh mozzarella*, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and good olive oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper and fresh basil.

To eat, top a baguette slice with a slice of cheese and slice of tomato. And please don't be shy about sopping up oil and vinegar with the baguette.



So simple.  So quick.  Yet so summery and satisfying.  

*I've made mozzarella before, but lately I'm happier buying it at Trader Joe's.  I figure buying cheese at Trader Joe's (and my elementary tomato descriptions) balance out the arrogance of my locavorism and homemade bread baking.  Right?