I love a quick and versatile dish that can serve as a light lunch, appetizer, or salad - depending on what you serve alongside it and who's at the table. This time of the year, the tomatoes to be found are every color of the rainbow and boast bold flavors that are perfect for this dish. If you cannot find ripe - ideally good garden or farm market options - tomatoes, skip this one and save it for the next season. You want that bold flavor in the foundation of this one.
If you cannot find packaged marinated mozzarella, you can make your own by slicing it and tossing with an oil and vinegar based dressing, tossing together your own, or seeking out mozzarella balls in seasoned oil. I like the packaged marinated mozzarella slices because it makes everything so easy!
You can easily make this a light meal by drizzling it with a bit of high quality olive oil and a sliced baguette. In fact, during the times between mid-July and mid-October I often do exactly that. It's also a lovely appetizer or salad course. However you choose to feature it in your menu plans, take the opportunity to showcase it before we bid farewell to garden fresh tomatoes for another season.
Marinated Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
- 1 large ripe heirloom tomato, sliced into bite-sized pieces (you may need to cut whole slices into smaller pieces)
- 8 oz. marinated fresh mozzarella slices
- 2 T. finely chopped fresh basil
Alternate the tomato slices and mozzarella slices in an overlapping arrangement on a serving plate. Sprinkle generously with fresh chopped basil. You can serve it as is or drizzled with very good extra virgin olive oil and sliced baguette.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes