MESSY CAPRESE WITH MARINATED MOZZARELLA.

MESSY CAPRESE WITH MARINATED MOZZARELLA.
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July 29, 2014

This recipe comes from what is perhaps my favorite cookbook ever (or as my friend Heather remarked quite wisely, “It’s the world’s favorite cookbook, Lily.”), Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. But seriously. Can we talk about this marinated mozzarella?

There is something insanely magical that happens in the bursting fennel seeds, a fragrant oil released from their encasing that makes the accompanying lemon zest, garlic, oregano, olive oil, tomato, basil and sea salt a luscious dream of a caprese.
I call it messy because it’s deconstructed, it’s tossed, and it’s not pretentious in the least. It’s just seriously damn good.

This caprese is what every caprese wishes it could be when it grows up: Sexy, flavorful, and not to be taken lightly.

 

 

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 large heirloom or other fantastically good looking and delicious tomatoes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ tsp. fennel seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 10 leaves basil chopped or cut with herb scissors
  • ½ tsp. oregano leaves
  • ¼ tsp. Maldon sea salt flakes
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 5-7 cup small mozzarella balls sliced, or about ½ sliced mozzarella of any size, ciliegine
  • kalamata olives on the side optional

Instructions
 

  • Place fennel seeds in a frying pan over medium heat and let sit until they pop, a couple minutes, tossing them occasionally in the pan.
  • Remove from heat immediately and place seeds in mortar with oregano leaves, olive oil, garlic clove, and salt. Crush until the fennel seeds have split open, and some are pulverized. You can play with your desired degree of crushedness here—there are no rules.
  • Pour the marinade over the sliced mozzarella and toss in the chopped basil leaves. Let sit while you cut the tomatoes (or, if you’re feeling patient and are preparing well ahead of time, let the mozzarella marinate, covered in the fridge, for an hour or two before you slice the tomatoes and combine).
  • When you’re ready, toss together and plate. Sprinkle with lemon zest and another light hand of sea salt, if needed. I love eating this with dark olives on the side.
  • Buon appetito!