Fried Green Tomato Caprese Salad

I have been on a major vacay....  so sorry to anyone who has wondered where the heck we have been for about a month!  I wish I was coming back to the blog with piles of pictures and tales of great travels, but sadly, no.... I didn't have an actual vacation; life just got a little cray up in here with visitors and animals and new jobs and more new jobs ... my little hobby had to take the back seat for a while!

But I'm back and I've got something ridiculous for you all today.  I know, I know, it's summer -- we're all trying our best to get outside and workout, eat healthy and keep that bikini body in tip top shape, while still consuming as much alcohol as possible.  This post is where SkinnyChow goes to die.  I can't help but think of my girlfriend who just started a 30 day cleanse.... I don't want to rub it in or anything but you are seriously missing out on this monstrosity!  ;)

So who doesn't love the classic Italian Caprese Salad?  Yummy vine-ripened tomatoes layered with fresh and velvety mozzarella and topped with a sprinkle of home-grown basil....drizzle with your finest olive oil and balsamic vinegar and you have a great starter to any meal....  

So I decided to destroy this delicate salad and fry it...

...in true Southern fashion

In all seriousness -- this salad eats like a meal.  In fact, just eat it as a meal.  Trust me.  Oh and also trust me when I tell you to drizzle this baby with balsamic syrup and peach jam (homemade jam if you can swing it!).  It really takes the dish to the next level with the lovely combination of salty and sweet.  Oh and as I'm typing this, I realize that I could have made this salad even better with the addition of bacon....  but there's always next time...

Fried Green Tomato Caprese Salad (makes 4 salads)

Fried Green Tomatoes:

4 large green tomatoes, sliced into 4 (1/2 inch) slices each

2 eggs

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. cornmeal

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

vegetable oil for frying

Whisk egg and buttermilk together in a medium sized bowl.  Scoop flour onto a plate and mix cornmeal, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper on another plate.  Dip tomatoes into flour to coat.  Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture.  Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.

In large skillet, pour vegetable oil {1/2 inch of oil in the pan} and heat over medium heat.  Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan.  When tomatoes are browned, flip and fry the other side.  Drain on paper towels.

Salad and Assembly:

2 large balls fresh mozzarella, each cut into 6 slices
12 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish if desired
peach jam
balsamic syrup

To assemble salads, place one fried green tomato on each plate.  Top each tomato with one slice of mozzarella followed by one basil leaf.  Repeat this process ending with a fried green tomato, until each plate has 4 tomato slices and 3 mozzarella slices.  Garnish top of stack with basil.  Place peach jam in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds.
Drizzle each salad with peach jam then drizzle with balsamic syrup.  Enjoy immediately.

Mexican-Style Caprese Salad

We are all probably familiar with a traditional caprese salad: tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of delicious olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  It’s one of my favorite salads because nothing beats a ball of freshly made mozzarella.  Yum!  Today I’m showing you a twist on this traditional salad -- made with a Mexican spin!  {Hello, Cinco de Mayo party!!!!}  This salad is easy to put together and it is a beautiful presentation!  Instead of mozzarella we are going to use queso fresco, which is a Mexican crumbling cheese used to top food.  It’s salty and very firm, resembling feta cheese in texture.  You can find it in the cheese section of most grocery stores. {I found mine at Walmart!}  The cheese is firm enough to throw on a grill pan, making this salad even more special!  But by all means, if you’re worried about grilling this cheese, skip that step....the dish will still be delish!

Mexican-Style Caprese Salad (makes 4 starter salads)

Salsa:

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 red onion, minced

2 handfuls fresh cilantro, chopped

juice from 2 limes

salt and pepper to taste

Assembly:

1 small jar Tomatillo salsa

1 package queso fresco 

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

salt and pepper

1. For the salsa, combine all ingredients and set aside.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.  Thickly slice queso fresco into 1/2 inch thick round slices (you can probably get 2 slices per package of cheese).  Drizzle cheese with olive oil and place on the grill pan.  Grill each side of cheese for about 2 minutes or until grill marks form.  Remove cheese from pan and set aside.
3. Cut each cheese slice into 4 pieces.  Place 2 pieces grilled cheese on each plate.  Top with tomato mixture then drizzle with Tomatillo salsa and olive oil if desired.  Serve immediately.