Summer tomatoes, part I

It's late July, which is high summer-tomato season. When I was making my rounds yesterday at the City Market, I saw a fantastic array of different kinds of heirloom tomatoes at the Whisper Hill Farm stall. I picked out a good variety of shapes, colors, and flavors to make a few things that take full advantage of the tomato-y goodness.

On the way home from the City Market, I stopped at Wegmans to pick up some fresh mozzarella made at the Antonio Mozzarella Factory in Newark, New Jersey of all places. Then the first thing I made was this Caprese Salad, which is all about enjoying the flavor of good tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, basil, and sea salt, without muddying the waters with a needless balsamic vinegar reduction (there's already plenty of acid in the tomatoes). You can serve this with some good crusty bread to make a light lunch or supper for two or as part of a dinner for four.

These are torn basil leaves, but I like it better with a chiffonade of basil

Mom's artsy Caprese, with the addition of some balsamic vinegar

Caprese Salad

Adapted from J. Kenji López-Alt via Serious Eats (with video)

Time: 12 minutes

This salad stands or falls on the quality of the ingredients you use, so don't bother making it with crappy supermarket tomatoes or mozzarella or bad olive oil.

1½ pounds (680 grams) ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom and different colors from the farmer's market or your garden
6 ounces (170 grams) high-quality fresh mozzarella cheese
High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, such as Trader Joe's 100% Greek Kalamata
a good finishing salt, such as Maldon Sea Salt Flakes or fleur de sel
fresh, coarsely ground black pepper
8 basil leaves, picked fresh from your garden

    1. Core the tomatoes, then cut them into various shapes and sizes. Mindfully arrange the tomato pieces in an attractive pattern on a large serving plate (larger than the one pictured above, which was too small).
    2. Tear the mozzarella into uneven pieces. Tuck the chunks into and among the tomato pieces.
    3. Drizzle the oil generously over the tomato and mozzarella pieces, then follow suit with generous sprinkles of flaky sea salt and a few twists of coarsely ground black pepper (to taste).
    4. Cut the basil leaves into chiffonade, then sprinkle evenly over top of the salad. Serve promptly with good crusty bread to soak up the juices on the bottom of the plate. Serves 2 as a light lunch or supper, or 4 as part of a larger meal.