Delicious Caprese Salad with a Delicious Balsamic Glaze
Nothing starts off a good meal like a classic Caprese salad made with a fresh beefsteak summer tomato. This summer when you are at your local farmer’s market, pick up some nice tomatoes to create this delicious salad.
It’s hard to beat the classic flavor combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. However, this version adds another dimension by adding a rich and syrupy balsamic glaze instead of straight vinegar to top it off. This, combined with a really good quality extra virgin olive oil, is all you need to make this classic shine!
Ingredients:
4 large ripe tomatoes
12 oz. fresh mozzarella, large ball
1 large bunch fresh basil, washed and dried
3 tablespoons of a really good extra virgin olive oil.
1 cup of balsamic vinegar
sea salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Thoroughly wash and pat tomatoes and fresh basil dry. Slice tomatoes into evenly sized pieces, approximately ¼” thick, and set aside. Discard the bottom and top pieces. Slice fresh mozzarella into ¼” thick pieces, as well.
On each plate, start with a tomato slice, followed by mozzarella and a large, fresh basil leaf. Repeat this pattern until you’ve added 1 tomato and approximately 3 oz. of mozzarella to each plate, finishing each arrangement with a tomato slice. Drizzle with high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
To make the balsamic glaze, heat 1 cup of good balsamic vinegar over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 of its original volume, stirring continually. When the liquid becomes thick and syrupy, it is ready to use.
Let glaze cool before drizzling over the fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with additional sprigs of fresh basil, if desired.
