When I first started considering posting this recipe, I honestly planned on jumping on the bandwagon for a tomato basil mozzarella salad with stone fruit.
Salty, Savory, Sweet?
And I love nectarines, so I was planning to add them to the salad. Long story short, I guess my taste buds haven’t evolved from my childhood as much as I thought they had. I added the nectarines to this salad and promptly began picking them out like a three year old.
So here I am, posting another traditional tomato caprese salad for your end-of-summer enjoyment. The difference this year is, while I love the traditional tomato caprese I last posted here, I also love the idea of being able to whip up this wonderful salad at the drop of a hat for those impromptu, Saturday, Indian-Summer-BBQ’s. This does just that.
Mozzarella Pearls Save the Day!!!
The purchase of a package of fresh mozzarella “pearls” and two baskets of the late summer’s best grape or cherry tomatoes (or a basket of a friend’s fresh ones) makes the most wonderful “throw together” salad of the gathering. And hey, this year there seems to be no shortage of people who have extra late-summer tomatoes to give away! (Let’s be honest, one of the only good things that’s come out of this whole COVID thing.)
Big Horn Cherry Balsamic Vinegar is the BEST
Now, what is it that truly sends this easy salad over the edge of goodness? Honestly, if there’s just ONE THING you don’t leave out of this salad it’s the Big Horn Cherry Balsamic Vinegar. Because our Reno community is pretty small, I’m not sure how we got so lucky as to have this wonderful store right in our midst. They offer the best selection of balsamics and oils that I’ve ever seen, and this Cherry Balsamic is one of my favorites.
I’m not super sure what inspired me to use the Cherry Balsamic in this salad. Honestly, since this salad has pointed out so much of my ridiculous juvenile side, it’s entirely possible my mind went “Cherry tomatoes = Cherry dressing; DUH.” Whatever it was that made me create this dressing, I should thank that instinct because it’s AWESOME.
Don’t take my word for it. Try and put it together this weekend, and let me know what you think!
Happy Cooking!
- ¼ Cup Big Horn Cherry Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ¾ Cup High Quality (Preferably Big Horn) Olive Oil
- 1½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- ½ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt
- Two Baskets Fresh Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- 10 Basil Leaves, Julienned
- 1 Package Fresh Mozzarella Pearls
- Mix the first seven ingredients in a small bowl with a dressing whisk.
- Toss last three ingredients in a salad bowl.
- Add dressing to taste and toss.
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