Garden Fresh: Tomato, Basil and Bocconcini Salad

Here in Victoria, it hasn't been the warmest spring in recent years... but it is spring and the warm summer days are getting closer every day! And with the warmth of summer comes a bounty of seasonal vegetables such as fresh, ripe tomatoes and fragrant basil leaves.

This recipe for tomato, basil and bocconcini salad is a authentic Italian dish. Simple, fresh and rustic. Bocconcini in Italian means "small mouthfuls" and if you haven't tried this kind of cheese yet, I encourage to give this salad a try. Delicioso! Bocconcini is a fresh mozzarella-style cheese and you can find it in grocery stores or specialty shops in plastic tubs somewhere around the cheese section.



Tomato, Basil and Bocconcini Salad
This is a rustic salad that loosely combines a few simple ingredients. Give your intuition a chance with the quantities of each ingredient. This salad can be made as a simple lunch for one or as a starter salad for a large dinner party.

Ingredients
salad greens
a mix of yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
medium sized fresh bocconcini mozzarella cheese
handful of torn fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar
good quality olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
On a large platter, arrange the washed salad greens. Add halved or quartered cherry tomatoes, the mix of yellow and red will add both flavour and lots of colour.

Slice the bocconcini mozzarella balls into half inch thick slices and place evenly on top of the tomatoes.

Sprinkle torn basil leaves over the salad. Add salt and pepper over the vegetables. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and good quality olive oil last.

Sit out in the sun and enjoy!