Caprese Salad

It is safe to say that it has been hotter than Hades in the Southwest, which leaves me lethargic and in no mood to cook whatsoever. Come to think of it, I think my waistline has shrunk simply because I haven’t been eating. I have been pounding the water though, which in itself fills you up. On the rare occasion when I have moved my butt into the kitchen and thrown some ingredients together, it has been to refresh our melting selves. Think salads, fruit and not much else. So without further ado, here is a recipe for one of our all-time favorite salads, which I make at least once a week, usually for lunch. I didn’t invent it and I’m sure you’ve had it before at restaurants, but it’s much cheaper to make at home and it’s very easy.

A few notes about the recipe; I substitute red wine vinegar for the lemon if I’m out of lemons and I usually use sea salt, but regular will work too - just use less and taste it in case it needs more.

1 large tomato

1 fresh hunk of mozzarella

4 basil leaves

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

½ lemon 

Serves 2 

Cut the mozzarella into slices. Cut the tomato into slices and cut the slices in half so they are the same size as the mozzarella. Roll the basil leaves up together like a cigar and cut them into thin ribbons (the fancy term is a chiffonade). Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter. Sprinkle the salt over them, squirt the lemon over and drizzle with the olive oil. Lastly sprinkle the basil ribbons over the salad and serve. You can let the salad sit for 10 minutes or so for the flavors to develop before serving.