In the Kitchen With: Valery Rizzo’s Caprese
On this column we strive to always share recipes that are simple and seasonal. Based on the Instagram pictures I’ve been seeing of the icy Hudson River, and emails from home, however, I thought I would give our friends suffering from the cold weather something to look forward to when the sun finally comes. Photographer Valery Rizzo is sharing with us this week her very simple recipe for a caprese salad. The beauty of the salad lies in its simplicity. Seek the freshest ingredients to maximize the flavors of the salad, which marry perfectly. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, you can try it out now with your finest local ingredients. -Kristina
About Valery: Valery Rizzo is a Brooklyn-based portrait, food and lifestyle photographer with a passion for telling stories. Her work appears in print, web and exhibition across the globe, as well as in the Brooklyn Navy Yard Archives. Clients include Bon Appétit, Edible Brooklyn, Kinfolk, Organic Gardening, Télérama, Interior Design, New York Magazine and many more. In addition to her commercial work, Valery is also working on a number of personal contemporary photography projects, one of which is a series for a book focused on the rapidly changing borough of Brooklyn, where she was born. She lives in Park Slope and can often be found photographing urban farming, chefs, restaurants, and makers. Find her on Instagram, Twitter, her website and her blog, Eating Brooklyn.
See how to make Valery’s salad after the jump!
Urban Farm Fresh Caprese Salad
The idea of this salad is to celebrate and support the local urban farms and food makers in your area. It is usually served as an antipasto (starter) but I like to eat it with someone as a simple lunch, so I can really enjoy each special ingredient. Serve with a nice loaf of crusty wheat bread to soak up the juices from the tomatoes and olive oil left over on your plate.
Serves 3-4 people as a starter or 2 people for lunch
Ingredients
- An assortment of organic heirloom tomatoes (different types, colors and sizes)
- 1 large ball of locally made mozzarella cheese
- 1 bunch of fresh farm or garden harvested basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fine sea salt
- 1 loaf of whole wheat Italian bread
Method
1. Slice all the larger tomatoes and spread them out on a platter. Do the same with your ball of mozzarella, cutting it into slices and staggering it with the tomatoes.
2. Cut all the smaller tomatoes in half, leaving some whole if you would like for even more variation and add those on top of your larger tomatoes and cheese slices.
3. Once the tomatoes and cheese are in place, add whole leaves of basil, again varying large and small leaves. Drizzle a good amount of extra virgin olive oil (of your choice) over the salad. Then sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste. It is that simple and all about the ingredients.
Why Valery loves this recipe: Growing up in Brooklyn I was never exposed to farming in the city, until rooftop farms made their appearance and I was instantly enamored. This recipe is how I love to eat: fresh and from the earth, simple and made with the best local ingredients. It also reminds me of eating in Italy with my family, outside and from the land. The tomatoes were harvested from Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm in addition to tomatoes grown in my own backyard garden. The basil came from Eagle Street Rooftop Farm and the house-made fresh mozzarella I like to get at Caputo’s Fine Foods or Esposito & Sons in Carroll Gardens.
