basil – In Good Taste

Easy Caprese Salad Two Ways

Maris Callahan — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 05:00:19 +0000

Caprese salad is probably the easiest salad in the world to throw together. The process is pretty much as follows: slice cheese, slice tomatoes, tear basil and drizzle with olive oil. Yet, I don’t know too many people who frequently enjoy caprese salads in the comfort of their own homes – or anywhere outside of an Italian (or Italian-ish) restaurant. According to Epicurious.com, the salad was created in the 1950s at the Trattoria da Vincenzo for regulars out for a light lunch. They’d order a just-picked tomato and fresh fior di latte (cow’s-milk mozzarella). The salad has since evolved in Capri to include arugula, but everywhere else in Italy it features simple tomato, mozzarella and basil – always with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil as dressing. With farmers markets beginning to reopen for the season and fresh tomatoes slowly making an appearance across the US it seemed like there could be no better time to share a purist recipe – one with four ingredients, fresh ingredients, that makes a perfect lunch with a piece of crusty bread or a nice appetizer at a summer picnic or cookout. Keep in mind that your caprese salad does not have to be […]

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Corn Dip with Tomatoes and Basil

Maris Callahan — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:00:00 +0000

Thanks to Michael Pollan, many of us know that corn is America’s #1 crop. We also know that corn is versatile: it can lend itself to recipes sweet or savory, healthy or indulgent: cornbread, summer squash and corn chowder or sweet corn balls. It pairs especially well with a lot of really fresh, great ingredients including my favorite combination: basil. Even though it’s often eaten plain on the cob alongside cookouts or clambakes. Decorated with butter, salt and pepper, corn on the cob is a great summer treat, but a creative cook — no, a creative eater will get a lot of mileage out of corn beyond the cob. Save Print Corn Dip with Tomatoes and Basil Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Cooking for a Crowd, Small Plates and Snacks Prep time: 15 mins Total time: 15 mins Serves: 6-8 servings Ingredients 1¾ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears) or frozen kernels ⅓ cup 2 percent milk ⅓ cup silken tofu 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice ¼ teaspoon coarse salt Freshly ground pepper 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered, or 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced 3 cups baked white-corn chips (6 ounces) for serving Instructions Cook […]

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