This is such a great summer salad, because it takes advantage of the delicious summer tomatoes, cucumbers, & basil. It calls for Balsamic Vinaigrette for the dressing, but feel free to substitute the dressing of your choice. Be sure to use fresh mozzarella cheese. It can be found in ball-shaped packages in the deli section. These make main-dish sized salads, but the recipe is easily adjusted for quantity.
Serves 4
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbls brown sugar (more if dressing is too tart)
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to serve.
Salad:
Approximately 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-size pieces
4 large tomatoes, chopped into small chunks
4 fresh basil leaves, sliced very thin
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise & then slice paper-thin
1/2 red onion, sliced paper-thin
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
Crusty bread, torn into bits--optional
Divide all ingredients equally among four salad bowls, layered in order given.
Drizzle Balsamic Vinaigrette over top. If adding bread pieces, add them after the dressing, as the bread will absorb a lot of the dressing.
