A classic caprese salad has long been one of our go-to quick starters or light meals. It’s so simple & elegant – creamy mozzarella, ripe tomatoes & fragrant basil, all dressed simply with a little olive oil, salt & black pepper. It looks tempting, tastes great and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Perfect when you want to impress, but don’t want the stress!
But today we wanted something a little bit more substantial, but that still hit our recent clean-eating credentials. We often do the most common riff on a caprese – tricolore, which adds avocado. But today we decided to experiment, and raspberries sprang to mind. And they really work! Not only do they add a lovely pop of colour & acidity, but the flavour complements the creamy mozzarella particularly well.
We also upped the protein & calcium and lowered the cholesterol & lactose by using buffalo mozzarella. And we added more colour, texture & plant variety with some cucumber and a topping of mixed seeds. The result was a still very simple, quick and delicious take on a caprese salad that looked impressive on the plate. Great if you want to produce a really pretty plate in minutes. So we’re calling it Lazy Caprese+!
As well as adding whole raspberries, we decided to make a raspberry vinaigrette. This is very easy to do, and you can use the method for our classic vinaigrette, see our Tip here, but replace the vinegar with crushed raspberries. Place a few of the raspberries into a small bowl, and crush to a purée with the back of a spoon.
To make the vinaigrette, add a teaspoon of mustard power to a bowl or jar. You can use normal mustard if you don’t have powder. Add a pinch of salt & a grind of black pepper. You might also need a little sugar; it depends how sweet (or tart) your raspberries are. We tend to taste the vinaigrette at the end, and decide then. Muddle all the seasonings together with a spoon.
Next add the raspberry purée and stir. Also add one tablespoon of olive oil.
If you are making your vinaigrette in a jar, put the lid on and shake the jar well to emulsify the dressing. If you don’t have a jar, mix really well with a small whisk or a fork. Add another two to three tablespoons of olive oil, and shake well again. How much oil you need will depend on the juiciness of the raspberries & the texture you prefer.
Now taste the dressing, and adjust any seasoning. Also add sugar, if needed. Today our raspberries were quite sharp, so we added about a teaspoon of brown sugar. Your raspberry vinaigrette is done.
The vinaigrette can be kept in the fridge until you are ready to serve. If you make too much, it will also keep for a day or two.
Jake sticks his nose in
You can make many different types of flavoured vinaigrette. Strawberries also work well. Or you can get creative with citrus, herbs & spices. Cumin & lime is a good example. Or try flavoured vinegars. Apple vinegar with mint is another good one.
Making the caprese salad+ is now just a slicing & assembly job. Slice the tomatoes and remove the central core and any obvious white pith. Arrange on a large serving plate. Also slice the cucumber. You can make a nice colourful pattern on the plate with the tomatoes.
Now drain the mozzarella – it normally comes in a pot or bag with a lot of liquid. Dry the mozzarella balls a little on some kitchen paper, so the cheese is not too wet in the salad.
Jake sticks his nose in
Buffalo mozzarella has a richer, tangier & creamier flavour than regular cow’s milk mozzarella. It’s also higher in calcium & protein and lower in lactose & cholesterol. But regular mozzarella is also very good – it’s milder & slightly drier, so choose the one you prefer.
Slice the mozzarella quite thickly, then arrange on the plate.
Add a few leaves of basil, to taste, ripping them slightly to release the fragrant oils. Also add the raspberries.
Jake sticks his nose in
Basil is always better ripped by hand than cut with a knife or scissors. Also always rip & add it as close to serving as possible. It’s quite fragile, and will start to deteriorate & blacken soon after being torn.
Get creative! This is a really pretty dish, so have fun layering up the colours & flavours for the best effect.
Season with a little black pepper & scatter over the mixed seeds.
Shake the vinaigrette up again, then drizzle over the caprese salad.
This makes a lovely light meal or a great starter.
Enjoy your lazy caprese salad+!
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