What better way to jump back in than with a winter take on a favorite side of summer......caprese salad.
To me fresh tomatoes from the grocery store are, for the most part, not worth buying in the winter unless they are going to be cooked in some way. They may look and even smell fairly ripe but when you take a bite you only get a faint tomato flavor...and that's if you are lucky. However, I've found grape tomatoes to be useful for a variety of quick vegetable side dishes when you put a little heat on them.
After several days of blah winter skies I decided we needed a fresh, simple and good meal. I splurged on a couple of beautiful grass fed Hereford filets. Grass fed beef is leaner so they got a nice brush of olive oil and dusting with smoked garlic powder and corriander and a pan sear finished in the hot oven. We both like them rare and they turned out perfectly.
I had initially thought to do a regular caprese type salad with the grape tomatoes , fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I just wanted to do more with it to go with the lovely beef. So I thought--why not use the flavors of the caprese salad and make it a bit more luscious?
You'll want an oven safe saute pan for this dish. This recipe makes 2-3 servings. You could stretch it to four if serving an additional side dish. I just made this up last night so I haven't tried doubling it but I will soon and I imagine it will with no problems.
To me fresh tomatoes from the grocery store are, for the most part, not worth buying in the winter unless they are going to be cooked in some way. They may look and even smell fairly ripe but when you take a bite you only get a faint tomato flavor...and that's if you are lucky. However, I've found grape tomatoes to be useful for a variety of quick vegetable side dishes when you put a little heat on them.
After several days of blah winter skies I decided we needed a fresh, simple and good meal. I splurged on a couple of beautiful grass fed Hereford filets. Grass fed beef is leaner so they got a nice brush of olive oil and dusting with smoked garlic powder and corriander and a pan sear finished in the hot oven. We both like them rare and they turned out perfectly.
I had initially thought to do a regular caprese type salad with the grape tomatoes , fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I just wanted to do more with it to go with the lovely beef. So I thought--why not use the flavors of the caprese salad and make it a bit more luscious?
You'll want an oven safe saute pan for this dish. This recipe makes 2-3 servings. You could stretch it to four if serving an additional side dish. I just made this up last night so I haven't tried doubling it but I will soon and I imagine it will with no problems.
Caprese Casserole
@1 cup sweet onion, chopped
@ 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half on a diagonal lengthwise
@1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into large pieces
7 1/4 inch thick slices of fresh mozzarella
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Balsamic Vinegar
Preheat over to 400 degrees.
Saute onion in olive oil in oven safe saute pan over medium heat until it begins to sweat and get a little color . Add the peppers and a tsp of sea salt and saute until the peppers just begin to soften. Add 2 tsps(approximately) of balsamic and stir. Add the tomatoes, basil and a splash of olive oil and stir well then top with mozzarella slices and put immediately into the oven.
I let this go until the mozzarella was melty and starting to bubble. I didn't want to cook the tomatoes--just get them good and warm.
The fresh pop of the tomatoes with the warm comfort of the melted cheese and softened onions and peppers was just perfect.
Enjoy.
Saute onion in olive oil in oven safe saute pan over medium heat until it begins to sweat and get a little color . Add the peppers and a tsp of sea salt and saute until the peppers just begin to soften. Add 2 tsps(approximately) of balsamic and stir. Add the tomatoes, basil and a splash of olive oil and stir well then top with mozzarella slices and put immediately into the oven.
I let this go until the mozzarella was melty and starting to bubble. I didn't want to cook the tomatoes--just get them good and warm.
The fresh pop of the tomatoes with the warm comfort of the melted cheese and softened onions and peppers was just perfect.
Enjoy.
