Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes
Caprese with Cucumbers
- Prep time
- 5 minutes PT5M
- Cook time
- N/A PT0
- Yield
- 4 people
- Difficulty
I love the textural contrast between the juicy tomatoes, soft cheese, and crisp cucumber. This is a simple twist on a classic.
Ingredients
- 2 Heirloom tomatoes sliced ¼ inch thick
- 2 Fresh Mozzarella "ovoline" sliced ¼ inch thick
- ½ English cucumber sliced ¼ inch thick
- 2 basil leaves chiffonade
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Fresh to Market Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Passport Balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Slice your vegetables and set aside. Layer a tomato, then mozzarella, then cucumber. Repeat, until you have none left. Garnish with the oil, vinegar, salt, and basil chiffonade.
Techniques used in this recipe:
- slice
- If you are slicing a round object, cut a slice from the bottom to make it lie firmly. Use the pointed end of a chef's knife to puncture the skin and make the first cut. Hold the object being sliced with your fingers bent and cut vertical slices to the desired thickness. With each slice, move your fingers back to the width of the next slice. Dont cut yourself!
- chiffonade
-
chiffonade: leafy vegetables or herbs cut into fine shreds or thin ribbons; often used as a garnish.
Glossary:
- basil
-
Native to tropical Asia and Africa; there are 30 to 40 different species but generally only one common to the spice industry.
The basil plant is a low-growing annual approximately 18-inches in height. When seen growing in the field, it is almost succulent in appearance and gives off a sweet fragrance as one brushes by. The leaves are quite large, up to 2 1/2-inches in length and from 1/2 to 1-inch in width. The taste of fresh Basil is reminiscent of licorice, and the dried leaves have a lemony, anise-like quality.
Basil is versatile in its uses, which are limited only by the degree of inventiveness of the cook. It has a special affinity for tonatoes and tomato-based recipes, whether they be salads, vegetables, sauces, or main courses.