Marinated Tomato Basil Salad

Marinated Tomato Basil Salad
5 medium slicing tomatoes
8 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups fresh spinach leaves, cleaned
olives for garnish, optional



Peel tomatoes, if desired. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges or into slices and arrange in bottom of 9×13 glass cake pan. As needed, slice fresh Mozzarella cheese into wedges or dice and arrange on top tomatoes. Chop basil and snip parsley; sprinkle over tomatoes.

Combine vinegar, sugar, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade over tomatoes and cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors (may refrigerate overnight).

Drain juice from tomatoes, reserving juice to be used as a dressing. To serve, place spinach leaves on individual plates; arrange tomato wedges on spinach bed; top with slices or dices of cheese. Sprinkle each salad with approximately 1-2 tablespoons dressing (i.e. reserved marinade and juice from the tomatoes). Garnish with sliced olives, as desired.

This is a delicious salad made with fresh herbs and tomatoes. Serves 6

As tomatoes stand in the marinade they create juice. This juice becomes the dressing for the salad. Not all of this dressing will be consumed on the salad. Nutrition analysis was calculated assuming 1/2 of the vinegar, oil, sugar and salt listed in the recipe will be consumed with the salad.

Olives are used as an optional garnish and have not been calculated in nutrition analysis.

*Mozzarella cheese may be substituted with crumbled Feta cheese. When using Feta do not marinate, crumble cheese over top of individual salads prior to serving.

Experiment with different herbs on your favorite foods. To start your flavor adventure try some of the herb pairings listed below.

BASIL – tomatoes; fresh pesto; pasta, peas, zucchini

CHIVES – dips, potatoes, tomatoes, pasta

CILANTRO – Mexican, Asian and Caribbean cooking; salsas, tomatoes
DILL – carrots, cottage cheese, fish, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes

MINT – carrots, fruit salads, parsley, peas

OREGANO – peppers, tomatoes

PARSLEY – The curly leaf is the most common, but the flat-leaf or Italian parsley is more strongly flavored and often preferred for cooking. Naturals for parsley include potato salad

ROSEMARY – chicken, fish, lamb, pork, roasted potatoes, soups, stews, tomatoes

SAGE – poultry seasoning, stuffing

SAVORY – dried bean dishes, stews

TARRAGON – chicken, eggs, fish

THYME – eggs, lima beans, potatoes, poultry, summer squash, tomatoes

For nutrition analysis go to www.UtahDairyCouncil.com

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