Insalata Caprese Dorata

Lillie and the biggest bite ever

October is here!

The leaves are starting to change and hot apple cider is in the mug…

Who am I kidding!? Here in Central Florida, we can finally go outside again without melting! It was one HOT summer indeed.

While everyone else is thinking pumpkin, we are fixated on locally grown Zellwood corn and ripe heirloom tomatoes. Grab a sweet tea and meet me on the lanai!

Heirloom tomatoes, smoked bufala mozzarella and roasted golden beets
topped with basil chiffonade, cracked pepper
and a blackberry balsamic vinagrette

Insalata Caprese Dorata

(golden caprese salad)

This charming simple salad is my variation of the famous Capri-style offering from the Campania region of Italy. The smoked mozzarella adds a little heartiness and complexity. The sweet and mild golden beets bring an earthiness and more texture to the salad. Lillie gobbled this one up!

1 heirloom tomato – sliced 1/4 inch

6-8 1/4 inch slices of smoked buffala mozzarella

1 roasted golden beet - sliced 1/4 inch (recipe below)

1 tbsp basil chiffonade

Cracked pepper to taste

Blackberry balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below)

ready for my drizzle....

Arrange alternating slices of the tomato, mozzarella and beets in a wide circle on the plate. Add a light layer of the basil and drizzle on the vinaigrette. Finish with some cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Blackberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 cup Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small shallot

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp cracked pepper

Slowly add vinegar to olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Add remaining ingredients and whisk again until fully combined. Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour (preferably overnight) to let the flavors combine. Shake well before serving.

Roasted Golden Beets

3 Golden Beets

Aluminum foil

Golden beets are worth tracking down. They are a little sweeter and less “beety” than your traditional red beets. If you have never had fresh beets, give them a shot. They are nothing like their bitter and intensely flavored canned beet relatives.

I used to boil my beets until I came across this technique. I love the richer, sweeter flavor the roasting imparts.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off greens and vigorously wash each beet. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and place in oven for 45 minutes. Remove when center is soft – use a skewer to test. Let cool, remove from foil and peel off thin layer of skin – it should slide right off with your fingers.

happy salad girl