#20: Caprese Salad
Summer is in full swing and with it comes the bounty of fresh produce that even the staunchest of meat-eaters cannot ignore. Among the most sacred of the August produce is the humble tomato, which lives up to its title of ‘fruit’ in the late summer, when it transforms from being lackluster and – all too often – anemic-looking, to being vibrantly colourful, sweet, and the building block of a show-stopping meal. What better way to showcase the beauty of the tomato (or dare I say, a peach?) than in a simple yet stunning caprese salad?
A brief note before you plunge yourself into the glorious world of cold summer dinners – neither of the salads listed below are suitable candidates for transport or “make-it-ahead” type applications. Caprese salad demands very little of its maker other than being eaten shortly after its assembly is complete. Prepare it shortly before serving and don’t even think of letting it sit out for eons or taking it to someone’s home already assembled. Caprese salad needs to be eaten where it was created and in a fairly timely manner to boot. I refuse to be responsible for the outcome if you do not heed this warning. The outcome, by the way, will be an unappealingly runny salad composed of either sad peach slices that have been forced to suffer the indignity of dripping away all of their lovely juices or bashful tomatoes that released all of their juices onto the plate instead of down your gullet. Don’t cause the summer produce such undue embarrassment. Make the damn thing and then eat the damn thing, without much faffing about in-between the two steps.
Classic caprese lover? Look no further than here!
Can’t handle tomatoes but still into caprese? Try here for a delicious twist involving peaches!