Make the Best Caprese Salad Ever

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This is one of my all-time favorite things to eat.  The first time I ever even saw a caprese salad was about five years ago, in Las Vegas.  My husband and I went to Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio and I was taken aback by the prices.  Trying to save money, I decided to order the cheapest thing on the menu–the caprese salad.  When they brought out a bunch of tomatoes and cheese I was totally shocked.  I was waiting for a field green-type salad, not this!

But then I tried it.  And we fell in love.

Have you ever had a caprese salad?  It’s a very easy thing to make.  The key is getting the right ingredients!

Ingredients:

3-4 large heirloom tomatoes (regular vine tomatoes will work too, the fresher the better)

1-2 balls of fresh buffalo mozzarella

1 bunch basil leaves

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here’s the thing about the ingredients.  Buffalo mozzarella is actually a little more hard to find.  Most grocery stores carry mozzarella packed in water, but it’s made from regular cow’s milk.  Buffalo mozzarella is made from buffalo milk (sounds gross I know.)  If you can get the real thing, go for it!  But the cow’s milk mozzarella will work in a pinch.  But don’t get the kind shrinkwrapped because even though it looks like the stuff packed in water, it’s not–It’s like the cheese that string cheese is made of.  And your salad will be gross.  You can find mozzarella packed in water in the specialty cheese kiosk thingy that’s usually close to the deli.

The other special ingredient is the balsamic vinaigrette.  We’ve tried several cheaper brands but finally bit the bullet and sprang for this $30 bottle.  And let me tell you, it is worth every penny!  I love this stuff so much I could drink it.  It’s kind of sweet, thicker than the regular stuff.  It’s not for cooking with, it’s for garnish or dips.  The brand is Roland.

Slice the tomatoes into thick slices.  Slice the mozzarella into thick slices.  Rip up the basil leaves.  You can stack them up like this:

Or arrange them on a plate like this.

Then drizzle with balsamic.  Yum!!!  Serve it for a dinner party and your guests will be so impressed.