My Recipes - Caprese

 I LOVE Caprese Salad.  It has such a fresh and unexpected taste.  My husband loves it so much that I now have 3 basil plants in my sunroom so we always have a fresh supply in the house.  My way is not exactly traditional though.  I think the real thing only adds olive oil and salt to the tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella.  I like to add a balsamic reduction to mine. 

This isn't probably the prettiest version of it.  I was making it for our dinner one night and decided at the last minute I would snap a few pictures on the patio.  If you want to do individual servings, do stacks.  It makes a great presentation.  At parties do pick ups on little skewers with cherry tomatoes.

 For the balsamic reduction, I used a cheap, supermarket brand of balsamic vinegar.  I put about half the bottle in a small saucepan and brought it to a simmering boil.  Don't let your heat get too high, though.  Let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Take it off of the heat and let it cool.  If you have extra, just store it in the fridge.  It is great for lots of things.

I recently bought a bottle of Katz Zinfandel Vinegar at the Savory Pantry in Hot Springs (one of my favorite places to visit when I'm there).  If you can get your hands on that, it is a real treat.  Reduce it and use it as a finishing coating on baked chicken.  Delicious!

 Putting it together is easy.  I use more tomato than cheese, almost twice as much tomato.  Fresh mozzarella is a must!!  Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, drizzle with olive oil and reduction.  Roll the basil leaves and slice thinly to julienne, then scatter across the top.  Enjoy!