Hot Summer Salad Recipes and Tips

 

 

 

In summer when the weather is really hot my brains turn to mush!

And when it comes to eating my mind’s a blank! I do not crave any hot food and I do not want to stand in the kitchen cooking hot meals.

I remember when we spent our holidays at my mum’s home in Southern Spain we always had salads: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Well, maybe not for breakfast, though I had the occasional tomato-garlic-bread combo for it – delicious.

I admire the women in southern countries who daily shop on the local markets and barely keep any fresh produce at home. I restrict my shopping to two or three times a week, the highlight is always a visit to the local farmer market across the border in Germany on Saturday.

I have decided to start a daily blogging routine with my favourite salad recipes for this summer. There are a lot of benefits for both of us: we do not have to think about what to put on the table, we can make a shopping list in advance, I will give you some ideas for your summer table and you will hopefully give me some feedback! Win-win situation for both of us!

My first salad is a variation on the tomato-mozzarella-basil salad. I grow my own basil on my balcony, very easy and rewarding as long as you keep it fully exposed to the sun and away from any draughts!

 

 home grown basil

 

Tomato – Mozzarella di Bufala – Basil Salad With a Twist

Serves two
Time: 5 minutes

 

Ingredients

2 cuore di bue tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
a handful of strawberries
1 ball of mozzarella di bufala
a handful of basil leaves

Dressing:
Aceto balsamico di Modena
Extra virigin olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper

 

Method

Cut tomatoes and mozzarella in chunks and slice strawberries

Tear basil leaves (I never cut them, I believe it enhances the flavour to tear them) and scatter the bits over the salad. I also use the flowers, it adds colour and looks pretty.

 

Does it not look pretty with the basil flowers?

 

Generously sprinkle sea salt and pepper over, add some balsamic vinegar and olive oil and let marinate for 10 minutes.

Enjoy the different flavours: sweet, salty, peppery, tangy.

Need some carbohydrates? Toast your day old bread and dip it in the salad dressing (an absolute no go when I was young but it is ever so delicious).

 

Enjoy the flavours!

 

 

Tags: salad, vegetarian