Warm Caprese Salad with a roasted tomato balsamic vinaigrette.
by Dominic Franks from DomInTheKitchen.com @DomInTheKitchen
This salad, which is my take on a classic caprese is sunshine on a plate and it’s the wonderful (and very simple) dressing that really makes it shine. I’m slow roasting the tomatoes in olive oil and balsamic vinegar to create a rich vinaigrette that simply oozes the delight of Mediterranean meals, sun kissed skin tingling with salt from the warm sea and gives us hope for the promise that we’ll be there again one day soon.
Kitchen tools that could be useful:
The Bristol Duo Oil and Vinegar Pour is perfect to make this dressing.
April 2024
Prep: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 3 stems of vine ripe cherry tomatoes – on the vine
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- 50ml balsamic vinegar
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper (I used garlic salt from The Cornish Sea Salt Company)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Fresh basil
- 1 x 100g bag rocket leaves
- A handful green beans
- 3 large vine-ripened tomatoes
- 2 ripe avocados
- Fresh mozzarella
- Fresh basil and chives for dressing
Instructions
You will need a roasting tin. Pre-heat your oven to 180C (fan) / 356F
Place the vine-ripe cherry tomatoes into the roasting tin along with the fresh herbs, garlic salt and pepper.
Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes until the tomatoes are tender.
Remove them from the stems (they will burst.) Leave 5 or 6 tomatoes in the roasting tin, set the others aside. Add the mustard to the roasting tin and stir well, crushing the tomatoes as you go.
This will be the dressing for your salad. It’s amazing.
Steam the green beans until tender, then set aside.
Build the salad on a large platter. I start with a bed of rocket leaves, then layer with sliced large tomatoes (cut them across the middle for a nicer look.) Green beans, torn mozzarella and quarters of avocados. Lay the roasted tomatoes onto this and then drizzle over the dressing.
Serve with torn basil and chopped chives.
Tip:
You can make the dressing ahead of time. It will keep for a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
