Green Tomato Caprese Salad

It wouldn’t truly be summer without fresh tomato, basil, and a little mozzarella.

I love making this recipe as a side dish for almost any meal. It goes with literally everything, and is such a beautiful dish. It’s a showstopper at any dinner party, and will most likely be the most colorful dish on the table. AND the ingredients for this salad are so incredibly simple, fresh and delicious that it’s bound to be a winner.

Making this recipe durning the summer has turned into one of my favorite traditions. The flavors are so special and unique to this time of year, that it immediately puts a smile on my face. Who doesn’t love the aroma of fresh basil? August and a few weeks into September provide the most succulent heirloom tomatoes for us here in California so I really like to stock up at each weekly farmers market. Their skin is softer, and they are in the peak of their flavor cycle during this time - so you’ll find more sweetness and far less acidity in these varieties. Green tomatoes are generally more dense than your average heirloom, and hold up to chopping quite well. I love to throw them into salads for this reason, or use them in thin slices for sandwiches.

This is one of my favorite olive oils for this recipe, if you can’t find it locally, you can use regular olive oil as well.

Ingredients
1 Heirloom Tomato
2 Small Green Tomatoes
1/2 cup Fresh Mozzarella
1/4 red onion
1 tbsp basil olive oil
Squeeze of fresh lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Chop tomatoes in to bite size pieces. Julienne the onion, or use a mandolin to achieve small thin slices. Toss together with the tomato and then add the fresh mozzarella. Combine all ingredients with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for 24 hours. Enjoy!