Summer Tomato & Mozzarella Salad
Like a bowl of jewels and pearls, my simmer tomato and mozzarella salad is best made at the height of summer when tomatoes are plentiful and delicious! Light, beautiful and delicious, this salad is the perfect summer dish as it doesn’t require any cooking. Did you know that New Jersey tomatoes have received a great deal of notoriety as being the best in the nation for their flavor, tenderness and juiciness.
Tomato & Mozzarella Salad Recipe
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2 pints cherry tomatoes
8 ounces pearl sized mozzarella balls, drained (if you can’t find pearl sized, get the smallest size you can, or dice a piece of fresh mozzarella)
2 cloves garlic
7 – 8 large basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Slice tomatoes in half and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add mozzarella.
Using a micro plane, grind down the garlic cloves to a fine paste. Add to the bowl.
Stack the basil leaves and roll into a cigar shape. With a sharp knife, slice thinly to create strips of basil leaves. This is known as a chiffonade cut. Add basil to the bowl.
Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover with plastic or put in an air tight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Garnish with more fresh basil.
