I just settled my son into his summer job in New Orleans, so I'm traveling and don't have much time on my hands.
So what to do when you have no time but want lots of flavor and something pretty for dinner?
Salad!
Fresh tomatoes. Herbs. Fresh cheese. Is your mouth watering yet?
When I barbecue, I adore offering a fresh salad as a side dish. And there's almost nothing easier than making Mozzarella salad. Throw everything together, let the items marinate. The colors are fabulous and the flavors go with everything, from barbecued meat to fish. What made this dish unique was the addition of capers. They simply pop with flavor and spice.
For this recipe, I used Bocconcini, which are small bites of Mozzarella, shaped like little eggs. They're semi-soft, white, rindleess cow and/or buffalo milk cheeses, first created in Naples. Bocconcini means "small mouthfuls."
MARINATED BOCCONCINI & TOMATOES
Ingredients:
1 pound bocconcini,
drained
2 cups mixed medley baby
tomatoes
½ cup extra-virgin olive
oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon parsley (dried)
Black kalamata olives (as many as you want - I adore them)
Salt to taste
Directions:
In a small saucepan, heat the
oil, garlic, and oregano over medium heat for
1 -2 minutes. Do not let the garlic turn too brown. Remove from heat and
cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, drain bocconcini
and add capers and parsley. When the oil mixture is cooled, pour it over the
cheese and toss.
Let the mixture marinate for
an hour to two. When ready to serve, toss in the tomatoes and olives. Add salt
to taste.
How easy is that!!! Enjoy.
* * *
You can
learn more about me, Avery, by clicking this link.
And if you haven't done so, sign up for my mailing list
so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and contests!
Also, do you know about my alter ego?
DARYL WOOD GERBER...
That is my "second" name on the left.
Daryl is what my husband actually calls me.
Daryl--I--will have a new series out in 2013:
THE COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERIES
featuring a cookbook store owner
who is an avid reader and admitted foodie!
"Like" Daryl's page on Facebook and "follow" Daryl on Twitter.
She doesn't say all the same things "I" do. Promise.
Say cheese!
Also, do you know about my alter ego?
DARYL WOOD GERBER...
That is my "second" name on the left.
Daryl is what my husband actually calls me.
Daryl--I--will have a new series out in 2013:
THE COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERIES
featuring a cookbook store owner
who is an avid reader and admitted foodie!
"Like" Daryl's page on Facebook and "follow" Daryl on Twitter.
She doesn't say all the same things "I" do. Promise.
Say cheese!
***********
Love fresh mozzarella and tomato salad. I made mine with mozzarella, tomatoes, provolone cheese, black olives, basil, oil, vinegar and black pepper.
ReplyDeleteAs for Daryl, I have "Liked" and can't wait for the new series!
Shawn, so good to "see" you again here. Provolone cheese sounds like a winner to me! Yum. Glad you want the new series. I'm having such fun writing it.
Delete~Daryl aka Avery
I want your life... Cheese is a tax deduction and now you have an excuse to pop into new Orleans whenever you get an urge for beads
ReplyDeleteAnd OMG... Now are your cookbook purchases deductible as well??? What a life!
All those perks... makes up for being called Daryl
;) with a wink from Dave
formerly Year on the Grill
Dave, LOL! Yes, I've got a boy's name. You should hear how many times I get, "Where's your other brother Darrell?" Or gee, you don't look like a boy. It's a long story, but I really like my name. Except when people call me Carol or Cheryl or anything else they think is a "girlie" name. :)
DeleteAnd yes, tax deductions for cheese and cookbooks. How cool is that? My son will only be in New Orleans for 10 weeks, but I'm already thinking about a July trip. Too much going on in June to make two trips in 10 weeks. Boy, is that a fun city. The history unique. The sadness of Katrina overwhelming.
~Daryl aka Avery
I can so sympathize with having a boys name. I am forever getting mail to MR Shawn .. When people ask for Shawn on the phone they expect a guy. When I am at an appointment and they call Shawn they look over me looking for a man.
DeleteMany years ago when there was a draft, I was called.. I had to send in my birth certificate to prove I was FEMALE...
But I learned to like my name and passed that honor to my daughter... her name is Hunter.
Fabulous recipe, Avery/Daryl. I haven't had bocconcini in over a year, but after seeing your recipe and photo, I've just got to have them again. Next trip to the store, I'm in. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope your traveling and writing is going well. I'm sure it must be hard to see your son move so far away. On the other hand, Dave makes a great point--you now have a wonderful reason to visit an excellent foodie town! Cheers and have a great week.
~ Cleo
Thanks, Cleo. I loved the tenderness of the bocconcini! Yummy!
DeleteMy son usually lives in New York. He's been there for a couple of years, so I have reason to go there often...also an excellent foodie town, don't you think? It is hard to have him that far away, but we make the effort to get together and we talk often.
~Daryl aka Avery
So yummy! I'm going to throw in some artichoke hearts too.
ReplyDeleteAmy, that sounds great! I adore artichoke hearts. Which do you think are the best kind, if not fresh? [Which I'm going to try out...just got a new recipe for artichoke minis.]
Delete~Daryl aka Avery
Those bocconcini are so cute. Makes for a lovely presentation. What a nice side dish!
ReplyDelete~ Krista
This looks fabulous! I adore capers, too.
ReplyDeleteDi, love your onscreen name. Cute. Yes, those capers make the flavor pop!
Delete~Avery