Mozzarella, strawberry and tomato salad

Some salads are about the best ingredients, seasonal fruit, vegetables, and amazing cheese. This is one of those salads.

This is a riff on the classic Caprese salad, but the results are spectacular. The tomatoes and strawberries are both sweet-tart and compliment each other beautifully. The cheese adds a wonderful creamy mouthfeel and the hint of balsamic completes the salad. This salad differs from the regular, and amazing, Caprese salad because of the touch of sweetness from the strawberries. This is a super simple salad that is perfect for hot weather, and one that will stun your guests. I make this salad during the heat of summer, it is cooling and refreshing, perfect for the weather.

I will admit that I do not have too many French cookbooks on my shelf, a couple from Pepin and this fantastic cookbook from Dorie Greenspan. It is packed full of all the classic French dishes, and quite a few dishes from the old French colonial states. The recipes are always fantastic and this is my go to cookbook for French cuisine.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 pack mozzarella, burrata or bocconcini

1 pack strawberries, hulled and cut vertically into quarters or sixths

20 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

A few generous pinches of pink or white pepper

A few drops olive oil

6 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

A few drops raspberry or balsamic vinegar

Sea salt, to taste

As you get ready to serve the salad, mix the mozzarella, tomatoes, strawberries, pepper and olive oil. Toss well.

Place the mix into a bowl and top with the sliced basil, a few drops of the vinegar and a generous sprinkling of sea salt. Serve immediately.

To plate this salad, cut the bocconcini into three horizontally. Toss the mozzarella, tomatoes, strawberries, pepper, olive oil, basil and balsamic. Arrange either a strawberry or a tomato half on each piece of cheese. Scatter the remaining tomato-strawberry mix around the cheese. Sprinkle with some sliced basil. Serve immediately.

Note: This is not a salad that can be made ahead of time, the fruit and tomatoes give out juices and turn soggy. Assemble as close to serving as possible for freshest results.