Nicole’s Heritage Caprese Salad

My Heritage Caprese Salad is one of summer’s delights! Because Mozzarella is such a soft cheese, I cut it with a cheese wire instead of a knife. And because it’s such a yummy cheese, I always buy the part-skim variety! Mozzarella is one of the few cheeses in which I can’t tell the difference between full-fat and part-skim. I snip the basil with scissors - my chef’s knife never seems sharp enough. If you have the luxury of extra basil, place a stem or two at the side of the dish, as a garnish.

Nicole’s Heritage Caprese Salad:

3 ripe red tomatoes, in ⅜-in. slices

3 ripe orange or yellow heritage tomatoes, in ⅜-in. slices

Mozzarella cheese, in ⅜-in. slices

Fresh basil, snipped (no substitutes!)

Interleaf tomato and Mozzarella slices, generously topping with fresh basil. Drizzle with Ron’s Arf ’n’ Arf Balsamic Dressing (see next post).

Slice tomatoes and cheese. Have fresh basil at the ready!

Pour dressing over tomato and cheese and sprinkle with basil.

Even if you eat alone, set a beautiful table and savor every bite!

Note: Instead of using Ron’s Arf ’n’ Arf Balsamic Dressing, I sometimes drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the tomatoes and Mozzarella, finishing with fresh basil and dotting the plate and tomatoes with a commercially made balsamic reduction. If I can find it, I also use an Italian-style ball of Mozzarella - expensive, but well worth the money.