With all this Summer heat, the last thing I want to be doing is slaving away over the stove. Salads and grilled meats are key for making Summer cooking more bareable and this Mini Caprese Salad by Rachel Ray is perfect for this time of year. I used fresh Ontario field tomatoes that we super flavourful and crisp.
I also took advantage of the massive basil plants in my parents’ backyard and added a huge handful of those into the mix too. It is incredibly fragrant and you can smell it every time you go through that area of the yard.
What you’ll need:
1 Lemon, juiced
1 small clove Garlic, about 20 leaves and a few for garnish
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cup chopped Tomatoes
1 to 1 1/2 cups of Bocconcini (bite-sized fresh mozzarella balls), drained, halved
Salt and Pepper
In a food processor or blender, combine lemon juice, garlic and basil. Add in olive oil in a stream to make a smoother dressing. I forgot to do this and just mixed it all at once and it was still great.
Combine tomatoes, cheese and dressing in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with extra torn basil leaves. My dressing was a little soupy, so I used a slotted spoon to serve it up.
We added it to a big BBQ dinner we made with grilled steak, chicken souvlaki, tzatziki, roasted potatoes, Mom’s Infamous Macaroni and Cheese, bread and fresh veggies. I just love the food this time of year!
