garden-fresh caprese salad: 2 ways

i'm writing this post because for one, it's been more than 5 months since my last post (yikes!) and for two, i want to share 2 of my preferred preparatory techniques for making a longtime, summer favorite of mine, commonly enjoyed and known as the caprese salad.  it's basic, it's simple, it's yummy, and it's satisfying...enough said.

the traditional caprese salad often conjures up thoughts similar to the pic depicted to the left here, and although a quite simple rendition to re-create, it can be an extremely difficult feat to seek out a good-tasting caprese salad, in even the most finest eating establishments across the entire country.  in my opinion, one of the most common short-comings to a perfectly executed caprese salad seems to be the incorporation of using often under-ripe tomatoes, and i find the best strategy is to prepare this basic salad yourself, while using "ripe" fruit as the foundation for your homemade version.  


mmmmm...my of my...there's something about broiling these beautiful heirlooms that yields a subtle sweetness, which seems to pair quite harmoniously with the creaminess of the mozzarella and the twang of the thinly sliced red onions that with each bite, i think i've died and gone to heaven.  the only difference between the traditional caprese and my broiled version is the high heat and incorporation of red onions.  the basic, simplistic staples are still present in each version: wholesome, vine-ripe tomatoes (preferable heirloom), fresh mozzarella, basil, evoo, aged-balsamic, and cracked black pepper and sel gris.  therefore, the only suggestion i'm going to offer pertains to the broiled caprese, in which case i add thinly sliced red onions down over the top and place under the broiler until the cheese becomes bubbly and slightly browned.  also, i obviously add the basil after broiling, in order to retain the coolness and freshness that this vibrant green herb seems to offer to a variety of dishes.

fresh + simple = yummy + satisfying

perfect for an appetizer or light meal for one, this is definitely one of my favorite summertime indulgences, but only if the absolute finest tomatoes are the star of this food show.