Tomato Basil Goodness
Posted
Sun, 08/10/14
I've always been a "late-bloomer" when it comes to mega popular movies or TV shows. I didn't see any of the Star Wars movies until well after a decade following their releases, I stumbled upon Monk about three years after the show debuted, began enjoying Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman just last year, and didn't discover Sex & the City until it had been off the air for nearly a decade.
In an old episode of Sex & the City, Charlotte encourages her husband-to-be (Trey) to try a Tomato-Basil Salad. The sound and look of the meal appealed to me:
Tomato-Basil Salad
2 to 4 tomatoes (one per serving)
Cut tomatoes in quarters. Roughly chop basil and place in glass container. Add minced garlic. In a bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar and olive oil; pour over basil-garlic mixture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate at room temperature for six to eight hours. Note: Do not refrigerate before serving. Variation: Add crumbled feta cheese to salad just before serving.
I might also add a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese to complete the salad.
I have yet to try the recipe as my local grocery stores only seem to carry the organic variety of fresh basil. It is so outrageously expensive I refuse to even contemplate it.
However, I'm hoping to try the recipe before the year is out.
*POSTSCRIPT Wed, 10/01/14: I prepared a variation of Tomato-Basil Salad this afternoon (see above photo in right column). I made a "quickie" plate, using green leaf lettuce as a base followed by tomato, minced garlic, a small amount of minced purple onion, a drizzle of olive oil, four basil leaves, salt, black pepper, crumbled blue cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. Instead of using olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a dressing, I poured a commercial brand of "Basil & Balsamic Vinaigrette" on top (see image below). Very tasty indeed!
By the way, I'm now growing my own basil in the kitchen window (photo above right). I plunked the packaged basil with dirt block and roots into a mason jar filled with water. In a day or two, the basil simply took on a life of its own.
Tags: Food Photos;
Herbs & Spices; Salads
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