The Mothership Cucumber Caprese Salad

Inspired by my Mothership Tomato Salad which was adapted from Jamie Oliver’s “The Mothership” Tomato Salad

An array of fresh juicy heirloom tomatoes interspersed with English cucumber slices and topped with basil rosemary marinated mozzarella cheese, a drizzle of garlicky seasoned olive oil, fresh basil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Vibrant and beautiful, this simple salad showcases the best of summer’s bounty.

Whenever I pick my mom’s fresh garden tomatoes, I am just struck with awe at their beauty. My parents plant so many different heirloom tomatoes and each variety has its own character. One of the tomatoes is a vibrant orange yellow with streaks of red, another (the Aunt Ruby) is a pretty green and stripey (even after they are fully ripe) and then there are the taxi yellow tomatoes and the pretty little yellow cherries. Usually there are breakfast tomatoes too … tomatoes that are a brilliant flame orange and so sweet you’d swear they almost taste like candy. My dad saves the seeds from the tomatoes and plants them year after year. This year they must have skipped the breakfast tomatoes, but still I had a beautiful array of colors after visiting their garden and I couldn’t help myself … I had to make a Mothership salad again.

But this time I wanted it to be a caprese salad. And I wanted the crunch of cucumbers along too because a simple cucumber tomato salad is simply heaven to me. So I made this. And I reveled in it. And I didn’t share it. with. anyone. It was ALL mine! (insert evil laugh here …)

Okay I’m really not that evil. I would have shared this with friends if I had an occasion to serve this. I live with two socially anxious kids … we don’t have company very often and my kids are (sadly) not tomato fans. Raised in the age of plastic tomatoes, they don’t get the pleasure of a good heirloom tomato.

I do get out sometimes and I do share my recipes with friends too, on occasion, but summer flies by so fast and tomatoes are only at their peak for a short period. You have to enjoy them in the moment. I hope you have friends or family at your next dinner that you want to share this with. You don’t need a fancy occasion (but it would certainly be right at home at the ritziest of parties). Go get yourself some really good heirloom tomatoes and fresh garden cucumbers (the BEST ones you can find!), some good quality mozzarella and real extra virgin olive oil and make this. They will love you for it.

Or if you do end up making this just for you, make sure you get a bit of each in every bite: a little tomato, a cucumber, a sprig of basil and the garlicky marinated mozzarella. Mmm so good!

The Mothership Cucumber Caprese Salad

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2 - 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• Basil rosemary marinated mozzarella balls (recipe here)
• Several fresh garden heirloom tomatoes, in a variety of colors & sizes
• 3 – 5 fresh mini English cucumbers (or 1 large one)
• Olive oil from the marinated mozzarella
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
• Fresh basil leaves

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Instructions

1. At least 2 hours beforehand, make the marinated mozzarella-recipe here. Store the cheese in the fridge until it’s time to make the salad and set the cheese out on the counter about 30 minutes ahead of time if the olive oil has hardened.
2. Cut the larger tomatoes into slices. Smaller tomatoes can be cut into wedges or halves or left whole. Slice the cucumbers into thin slices.
3. Arrange the tomatoes and cucumbers in a pretty arrangement on a large plate or serving platter. To show off the colors of the tomatoes, tuck any extra cucumber slices under the tomatoes.
4. Sprinkle with marinated mozzarella balls and drizzle with a Tablespoon or two of the olive oil from the mozzarella marinade. Sprinkle lightly with salt & freshly ground pepper. Top with fresh basil leaves, cut into strips. Leave some of the basil whole for extra effect. If you are lucky enough to have basil flowers, sprinkle those on as well. Serve immediately.

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Notes

Total time does not include the time for the mozzarella to marinate. If desired, you can top the salad with a drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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Looking for more tomato salad recipes?

• The Mothership Tomato Salad
• Smokehouse Kale & Tomato Salad
• Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Healthy Cucumber Tomato Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing – The Stay at Home Chef
• Greek Tomato Salad – New York Times
• Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill and Feta – The Kitchn
• Tomato Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette, Capers & Basil – Epicurious
• Garden Fresh Tomato Toss – Canning and Cooking at Home
• 15 Super Fresh Tomato Salad Recipes – Delish
• Quinoa Tabbouleh – Dixie Chik Cooks

How about some cucumber salad recipes?

• Basil Chive Cucumber & Corn Salad
• Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Roasted Figs
• Easy Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber Salad
• Cucumber Pesto Buttermilk Salad
• Mediterranean Mixed Bean Salad (with cucumbers!)
• Garden Fresh Cucumber Salad – Canning and Cooking at Home
• Creamy Cucumber Salad – Cooking with Mary and Friends
• Appalachian Cucumber Buttermilk Salad – Ally’s Kitchen Bohemian Bold
• Crunchy Veggie & Olive Butermilk Salad – Ally’s Kitchen Bohemian Bold
• Spicy Garbanzo Beans Red Onions Cucumbers & Grapes – Ally’s Kitchen Bohemian Bold