Enjoy a fresh mozzarella caprese salad with dinner

When someone thinks of salad, most think about a huge mass of lettuce, along with a mix of some other vegetables.

The lettuce is the star, despite the fact that the most common type used, iceberg lettuce, is a tasteless substance that cries out for dressing because it’s so bland. Because it’s so common, it’s nearly impossible to find a salad that doesn’t use lettuce as a base. Go to the store and check out the bagged salad section. Easily 95 percent of the offerings use lettuce as the major ingredient, with the variety coming from changes in small amount of other toppings and dressings included in the bags.

While I’m perfectly happy with a bland, dressing-drenched salad as a matter of convenience during meals where prep time is at a minimum, that doesn’t mean a flavorful salad isn’t within reach with a little work.

Mozzarella caprese salad is one of my favorite salads to eat during the summer months. It’s a tasty combination of tomato, mozzarella and basil with either olive oil or balsamic vinegar and seasoned with some salt and pepper. The salad recreates the colors of the Italian flag and is a simple and refreshing salad that doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare. It goes well with pasta dishes obviously, but can be served with steak or grilled chicken. It also makes a great dish to serve for an outdoor meal in the backyard or an afternoon lunch.

Mozzarella Caprese Salad

1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese

1 large tomato

6-8 fresh basil leaves

olive oil or balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

Start by slicing the ball of mozzarella into somewhat thick slices, then do the same with the tomato. Next, start with the tomato, layer a slice of mozzarella, a basil leaf, then repeating the process to either create a circle inside of the plate used for the salad or create a horizontal line across the plate. Then, salt and pepper the salad to taste and drizzle the olive oil or balsamic vinegar onto the salad. Serve by starting with the tomato and move one or two sections of the salad to the plate.

A second way of preparing the salad is by chopping the ingredients into smaller portions and placing them in a bowl. Then, salt and pepper to taste; and apply the vinegar or olive oil to the salad. Toss the mixture in the bowl.

Serves 3-4 servings.