MADDIE DAY here. My little backyard garden is overflowing with gold cherry tomatoes (Sun Gold variety). The basil is having a banner year, too. To celebrate, I'll send one commenter a copy of my newest book, Murder at a Cape Bookstore.
My work is super busy leading up to leaving on Tuesday for the Bouchercon convention in San Diego, and I was going to a potluck meeting of local writers last night. I don't make a practice of buying food to bring to a potluck supper, so what should I make to bring?
When I saw little mozzarella balls at the farm store, I thought a salad of little round things would be fun, pretty, and delicious. Imagine my delight when I learned the little cheese balls are called ciliegine, which means cherry tomatoes!
My further delight came from realizing that this is just a different form of the classic Caprese salad - slices of full-sized ripe tomato and mozzarella garnished with whole basil leaves in stacks dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0
You obviously can make my version of the salad with un-round chunks of tomatoes. I also decided to add little cubes of homegrown cucumber for some crunch, even though they aren't round. The salad would also be great with feta cheese instead of the mozzarella balls. The most important thing is fresh, ripe ingredients, preferably locally grown.
Little Round Things Caprese
Ingredients
8 ounces ciliegine, drained
About 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 small cucumber, diced (peeled if desired)
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Directions
Halve tomatoes and mozzarella balls.
Hold basil leaves in a stack and sliver with scissors (this method works better than using a knife).
Combine all ingredients and toss.
Serve with crusty bread for a complete light meal, or enjoy as a side salad with grilled chicken or fish.
Readers: How do you like to eat tomatoes or basil? Are you a fan of conventional Caprese? I'll send one lucky commenter a signed copy of the newest Cozy Capers Book Group mystery, so leave your email address.
🍅🍅🍅
My next books will be "Murderous Mittens" in Christmas Mittens Murder and Murder Uncorked, both featuring my new wine bar manager Cece Barton.
We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.
Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen
I like to make homemade spaghetti sauce. One year my dad had a bumper crop of tomatoes so my sister and I got together while my parents were at work and made so much sauce as we were throwing a 25th anniversary party for them and were doing as much of the food ourselves as possible. Lots of meatballs too. They were a big hit. Thank you for this chance at your giveaway. pgenest57 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteI've never tried this salad but I'm going to now!
ReplyDeleteI have never tried but this salad looks refreshing. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteJess
Maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
That salad looks sooo good! I've never tried one like that, but I'd definitely like to!
ReplyDeleteLove this salad - I made a super colorful one using heirloom tomatoes, think stripes, greens, yellows, oranges, from my organic CSA farm! looking forward to reading your latest.....
ReplyDeleteI love sun dried tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteKitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net
i like them roasted in the oven along w/ zucchini and eggplant
ReplyDeletefruitcrmble AT comcast DOT net
This is a really easy question for me. I don't eat tomatoes. Something about them makes me sick. Fortunately I can eat pizza sauce! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI am not a big tomato person. aprcandles@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteA summer supper I remember from childhood at my grandparents' house was elbow macaroni and fat slices of farm stand tomatoes slathered in butter and salt and pepper. Simple but so good!
ReplyDeleteHow delicious!!! Thank you for sharing your version of a Caprese salad! We love Caprese salad, and have not made it with cherry tomatoes or with Feta before. Our tomato crop has been very lazy this year, but yesterday we harvested quite a few, and we were going to make tomato sauce to freeze. Since we have way too much basil, plus a big tun of Feta from Sam's Club, we have our lunch (and dinner?) menu thanks to you! buon appetito ! Mille grazie! Luis at ole dot travel
ReplyDeleteHomemade spaghetti sauce is what I make with tomatoes and basil. This salad sounds very refreshing. Thank you deborahortega229@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI cook halved cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil and some garlic and serve it over any white fish. I add in basil if I have it. sgiden at verizon(.)net
ReplyDeleteI just made a version of this salad with heirloom tomatoes and balsamic glaze for a potluck lunch with friends a couple of weeks ago. It went over well.
ReplyDeletewskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love to eat fresh summer tomatoes any way! One favorite is a summer tomato sandwich on old school white bread with Duke's mayonnaise!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
I love a tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil salad with a bit of sea salt and olive oil. I dry cherry tomatoes in the oven with garlic and herbs and freeze. It's always hard to use the last ones in February!
ReplyDeleteforgot (duh): edewolfe at une dot edu
Deleteforgot: edewolfe at une dot edu
DeleteMy favorite way to eat tomatoes is with a crusty baguette. I enjoy caprese salad and made it every week during the hot summer. It is tasty, refreshing and a popular side dish in our house. Tomatoes are a big favorite and we eat them daily. What a treat! saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteCaprese salad is always so good and is one of my favorite salads. The salad I eat almost every day is grape tomatoes (NatureSweet Cherubs only) and cukes in balsamic vinegarette. Thanks for the chance to win. Such a great series. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteWe make a lot of tomato salad in the summer.
ReplyDeleteLove a good Caprese salad. Also a good tomato and cheese sandwich.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read this new book. Love the series.
Thank you for the opportunity.
tlhking2000@gmail.com
Tina, you are our lucky winner! Congratulations, and please check your email.
DeleteThe salad looks SO good!! I definitely have to make some!! I love cherry tomatoes - or any sort of tomato, really - whether in salads or just by themselves. :) I usually cut up my salad veggies with just a bit of cheese a handful of nuts tossed in and some italian dressing. Yum!! :) juliwyant1@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThis sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteRight now it's too hot in south Florida for local produce. It's coming in from "way north", New Jersey!
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Congratulations on another book! The cover is so pretty. And so are your veggies. My garden isn't doing as well except for the cucumbers. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI love this! I love caprese and I really like the idea of using cherry tomatoes instead of the tomato slices and the mozzarella balls. Definitely have to try this. Thanks for sharing. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI have made a similar recipe many times however never with cucumbers. Sounds refreshing. My garden has been so fruitful with tomatoes and Basil this year, need to try this recipe. Rose- roseb2007@verizon.net
ReplyDeleteThat looks so good! I do a tomato salad with feta cheese a lot in the summer. So good and refreshing!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(@)hotmail(dot)com
Love all variations of Caprese. My current favorite is Orzo, roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella (feta or jack works too!) lots of fresh basil, and some capers with a balsamic viniagrette. Have fun in San Diego! makennedyinaz at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of tomatoes too!! That’s looks delish!
ReplyDeleteI love Caprese salad! I like your addition of cucumber too. I enjoy a cottage cheese and tomato salad as well as broiled tomatoes with cheese. Congrats on the release of your book Edith! I hope you enjoy your time at Boucheron.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy a caprese salad, especially when tomatoes and basil are in season. I also like brucchetta with fresh tomatoes and garlic. Congratulations on your new release.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new release! I have tried the little rounds mozzarella "pearls" and they are a fun way to enjoy the tasty cheese. I had not thought to make a caprese using them and cherry tomatoes, how much fun is that? I will certainly have to try it out and maybe even try growing our own next year, at least the basil and tomatoes. I too am going to Bourchercon and hope that we can meet. Safe travels next week. tracy dot condie at gmail dot com or tracy.condie@gmail.com as I am not sure which one is preferred.
ReplyDeleteYour salad is so pretty! Love the tip about snipping the basil. I do like Caprese Salad. I saw a recipe using the traditional ingredients and adding slices of fresh peaches. Since I have a bumper crop of peaches I will try that this week-end. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new release. madamhawk at gmail dot com
Your salad is delectable and appetizing. Tomatoes dress up a salad and a caprese salad is so attractive and tasty. Healthy and yummy. I make them all summer long with cherry tomatoes, the cute little cheese balls, basil, and peppers. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteTina King is our lucky winner! Congratulations, Tina, and please check your email. Thanks to everyone for your yummy salad suggestions!
ReplyDelete