Authentic Caprese salad is made with tomatoes, olive oil, basil and fresh mozzarella.

If you order a caprese salad in a restaurant, you are most likely to get a sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, olive oil, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes restaurants will chop the tomatoes. Sometimes they add onions (which I would never do) and sometimes they make it with pesto instead of chopped basil.

My thoughts about caprese salad are very strong. I’ve had the good fortune to eat a caprese salad and a caprese sandwich in Tuscany. It was simply tomatoes, dried basil, sliced buffalo mozzarella, salt, and olive oil.

This salad in Tuscany added olives and clearly made the cheese the star!

Although this seems like a simple recipe, it’s easy to get it wrong.

However, it’s also easy to get it right if you follow these tips.

Make your salad right before you are ready to serve. You have more leeway with these cherry or grape tomato salads. If you are slicing your tomatoes, wait until just prior to serving.

Use Fresh Mozzarella – Not the rubbery yellow kind. Buffalo mozzarella is exceptional, if you can find it.  Most fresh mozzarella will be made with cow’s milk. Take your cheese out twenty minutes in advance of making salad.

Use Fresh Tomatoes – If you can’t find fresh summer tomatoes, use grape or cherry tomatoes as I did here. Do not refrigerate tomatoes.

Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Don’t skimp on having a good olive oil in your pantry.

Use Sea Salt – Salt wakes up fresh mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.

Use Fresh Basil  – Garnish with basil right before serving or it will turn brown.

Use Fresh Pesto or Pistou for Potlucks and Parties – Pesto will keep better over a long term and it will be easier to refrigerate.

I don’t like vinegar on tomatoes and cheese. I don’t like onions anywhere near this. I do want only the freshest basil, but I lean strongly on making a pesto, especially if you are carting a caprese salad to a party or potluck. I only use fresh mozzarella as the yellow store bought mozzarella has no flavor.

Caprese salad made with wild wonders, cherry and grape tomatoes is perfect as a party dish when you’re out of time or you don’t know how to cook.

Try Making a Caprese Sub for Parties

This caprese sandwich is made with a fried pepperoni.

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Party Caprese Salad Recipes, Perfect for Outdoor Picnics, or Potlucks

Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil or Pesto, Fresh Mozzarella, great for appetizer, parties, potlucks.

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pint Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Balls
• 1 pint Tomatoes use a variety of cherry, grape or wild wonders
• Pistou Recipe Below enough to cover tomatoes and cheese
• 
  
• Pistou
• 2 handfulls basil
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic

Instructions

• If using large tomatoes, cut in thick slices, serve immediately.
• If using wild wonders, cherry or grape, no need to slice.
• Set cheese out about 30 minutes in advance to enjoy the flavor and texture.
• Toss with cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper.
• If making pistou, blend garlic basil and olive oil together. Use this for salad.

The post Party Caprese Salad Recipes, Perfect for Outdoor Picnics, or Potlucks appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

It’s been way too long since Spinach Tiger posted a pasta recipe, and I’ve come back with one that is so scrumptious, we made it two nights in a row.

My pasta with salmon recipe hits all the notes if you like Mediterranean flavors (and who doesn’t) and there’s the added benefit of cauliflower.

I used salmon, which because of it’s high fat content and texture, works so well with pasta. The last time I made a pasta dish this good was when I made this hazelnut crusted tuna with homemade pasta. The secret ingredient in this dish is the anchovies, which melted into olive oil. Do not let that scare you. The anchovies add an umami boost but you don’t know they’re there. You may not know this, but there are anchovies in Worcestershire sauce.

This pasta with salmon recipe is such a stunning and scrumptious dish. and yet only takes about twenty minutes to make.

A few months ago we were in San Francisco and I bought some Papparadelle’s Pasta. I discovered this pasta years ago at a Denver farmer’s market. They make over 50 varieties including a low carb and gluten free. We chose several to bring back for friends (like sweet potato orzo) and picked up a few low-carb pastas that I was surprised to like.

In this pasta with pasta with salmon recipe, I chose the four-peppercorn fettuccini and it’s only 7 carbs per 2 ounces (dried). There is no other low-carb pasta on the market that I know of that I can eat with such gusto. It’s very high protein and you do have to cook it for about 14 minutes. You can order at their website.

The Process for Pasta with Salmon Recipe

I baked the salmon in the oven, for about 7 minutes, but you can also pan fry. I melted the anchovies in olive oil, added garlic, thinly sliced cauliflower and more olive oil as I needed it. Once the pasta was cooked, I added it to this frying pan with some cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. I had an after thought that some crumbled feta on top would be amazing, so I’ll include that as an option to the recipe.

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Play Around: Try Scallops

On another night I repeated this recipe with seared scallops.

• Bring scallops to room temperature.
• Remove that little muscle found on the side.
• Dry with paper towels. Use Medium to medium high heat.
• Place some coconut oil or avocado oil in the pan.
• Get the oil hot. Add scallops. Do NOT turn over until they turn easily. If using an all clad pan, only use medium heat.

You could also make this with other fish, or seafood, such as shrimp and lobster or any mix.

You may also like these dishes from Spinach Tiger

Scallops with Pasta

More Pasta Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Salmon Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Pasta with Salmon, Olives, Cauliflower in Twenty Minutes

A medley of pasta, cauliflower, olives, tomatoes, herbs for an easy, delicious Mediterranean style dinner.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound salmon
• 4 ounces pasta see notes
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil
• 4 anchovies optional
• 2 cups cauliflower sliced thinly in small pieces
• 4 garlic cloves diced
• 1 shallot diced
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 -8 kalamata olives
• 6 grape tomatoes cut in half or sun dried tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

• Heat two tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil in pan to medium high heat.
• Melt 4 anchovies in hot oil. You will not taste these, but they add a layer of flavor.
• Add cauliflower.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Fry until cauliflower is mostly golden brown. Drain Set aside.
• Put salmon in oven at 400 degrees for ten minutes or until done, but not overdone.
• In meantime, cook pasta according to directions.
• Make sure to heavily salt the water once pasta boils and then add pasta.
• Drain pasta, but reserve a little bit of the pasta water.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Add in garlic and shallot until softened.
• Add cauliflower back. Add in cooked pasta and a little bit of pasta water, just enough to make sure pasta is not dry.
• Cut salmon into pieces and add to pasta.
• Season with salt, pepper.
• Add olives, tomatoes.
• Add in more olive oil if necessary.
• Top with fresh herbs.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

I used low-carb pasta from papparadelle's.

The post Pasta with Salmon Recipe, Mediterranean Style (with Low Carb Pasta) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is Italian meets French. Panzanella is an Italian bread salad, typically rustic, rough and rugged,  while the ruffled egg is French, dainty, cute, like a little purse. I used a French imported brioche to make the bread salad which added an unique sweetness to the dish, countered by a spicy vinaigrette. The flavors are complex, and this one of those meals that can be eaten any time of day.

This is the fifth recipe in a five recipe-10 ingredient challenge from Tabasco. The ten ingredients are explained here along with the rules of the challenge.

Tabasco sauce helps to boost flavor. A good recipe will have a balance of fat, salt and acid, but to take it a step further, heat pushes the flavors. Tabasco has acid, heat and salt which is probably why it’s so popular and sits on so many restaurant tables.

In this recipe I used the brioche, eggs, cherry tomatoes, herbs, maple syrup and cider vinegar. Olive oil was a free ingredient and, of course, Tabasco.

I love salad and there were no greens in this challenge. The idea of an Italian bread salad came to me because I had brioche and eggs to work with. I love using cider vinegar to make a vinaigrette. It’s going to have a sweet profile, but this is balanced by the heat of the Tabasco. This Tabasco vinaigette could easily work on a green salad, perhaps with some smoky bacon and blue cheese.

Typically panzanella is made with Tuscan bread, very crusty, very dense which holds a vinaigrette. I was given brioche to use which is a more delicate, sweeter bread, which paired nicely with sweet cherry tomatoes and ruffled eggs. In some pictures, you will see poached eggs, because I wanted you to have that option.  You could also make this with sunny side up eggs. The Perfect Poached Eggs recipe can be found here. This is the second brunch type dish I’ve made for the challenge. If you like this one you’ll love the Eggplant Benedict with Tabasco Hollandaise Sauce.  You could even use some of that hollandaise sauce for this dish. Isn’t cooking about making a dish you’re own creation?

I do have a sixth recipe, which I will post tomorrow. One of the ingredients was chocolate and I came up with yet another Italian dish, so please do come back to see how chocolate goes a bit savory.

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Panzanella Made with Brioche, Cherry Tomatoes, Ruffled Eggs, Tabasco

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 4 cups brioche cubes
• 1/2 cup vinaigrette more if you need it
• Basil Leaves
• Ruffled Eggs

Vinaigrette

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon tabasco
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Fry cubed brioche in hot olive oil, about 20 seconds each side. Cool.
• Toss with Maple Cider Tabasco Vinaigrette
• Add in cherry tomatoes and basil
• Top with Ruffled or Poached eggs
• Garnish

The Five Recipes for the 10 Ingredient Tabasco Challenge

Monday: Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde over Tomato Agridolce, Paleo Friendly

Tuesday: Eggplant Benedict with Olive Oil Tabasco Hollandaise Sauce, Paleo Friendly

Wednesday: Savory Eggplant Bread Pudding

Thursday: Swordfish Milanese with Eggplant Tomato Sauce with Tabasco

Friday: Panzanella Bread Salad with French Ruffled Egg, Tabasco Vinaigrette

The post Panzanella, Ruffled Eggs, Tabasco Maple Vinaigrette appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Grilled Swordfish Verde with Tomato Agridolce is a big fat healthy dish that will tickle your taste buds with heat from tabasco and brightness from the sweet and sour agridolce.

Tabasco is the iconic hot sauce that everyone knows about, and it’s not too hard to figure out ways to use it. It brings tang, heat and brightness to a dish.  You’ll love how healthy, quick and easy this dish is. The dense texture of the swordfish is brightened by the salsa verde and boosted with texture and flavor by the spicy agridolce. It all combines to deliver one good bite of food.

This was originally created for aa most exciting challenge, because the rules of the challenge were to create five recipes using any combination of the following ten ingredients along with Tabasco sauce. We couldn’t use any other ingredients.

The herbs were basil, cilantro and mint. Any two of these herbs equaled one ingredient.

Today’s Ingredients: Swordfish, Basil, Mint, Cherry Tomatoes, Maple Syrup, Cider Vinegar

Grilled Swordfish Dish is an easy fast dinner, made in under 30 minutes.

This grilled swordfish over tomato agridolce topped with salsa verde was actually the last dish I made for this series and was made in under 30 minutes.  This is the healthiest of my five dishes, paleo friendly, as there are no grains, no sugar. I used maple syrup for the sweetness in the sweet and sour sauce.

What is Tabasco Sauce?

It’s made in the United States, by the Mc.Ilhenny Company,  in Avery Island, Louisiana and was established in 1868. It’s very simple. It’s vinegar, red pepper and salt. The key is the balance of acid and heat.

What does Tabasco Sauce do for a recipe?

It wakes it up, brings acid, salt and heat.  It can excite bland food or add an extra layer of flavor.

What is Agridolce?

It’s an Italian sweet and sour sauce which typically uses onions,  sugar and vinegar . Staying within the boundaries of the challenge, I only used vinegar, maple syrup, cherry tomatoes and Tabasco, and it was everything it needed to be.

The agridolce is great with swordfish, which is a dense steak-like fish. Each bite is almost like a tangy stew, enhanced by the salsa verde on top. I ate every bite and relished in how healthy and filling this dish was.

By Friday, I will have used at least 9 of the  ingredients, including a very unique dessert.  Get your hot sauce on, and stay tuned.

Monday: Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde over Tomato Agridolce, Paleo Friendly

Tuesday: Eggplant Benedict with Olive Oil Tabasco Hollandaise Sauce, Paleo Friendly

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Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde over Tomato Agridolce, a 30 Minute Dinner

Grilled Swordfish with basil and mint sauce served agridolce, sweet and sour Italian.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pound of swordfish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Salsa Verde

• 3/4 cup fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• salt
• pepper

For the Agridolce

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco Pepper Sauce divided

Sauce Verde

Instructions

• Rub sword fish with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
• Place on hot grill and grill until cooked through, 5 minutes on one side, 3 minutes on second side.

Salsa Verde

• In blender or mini food processor pulse herbs, olive oil, salt, pepper, Tabasco Sauce until a puree is formed.

Agridolce

• Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters
• Heat in a small sauce pan, olive oil, maple syrup and 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce.
• Add tomatoes, vinegar, salt, pepper.
• Cook down for about 15 to 20 minutes. Sauce will be bright, tangy, sweet and sour. Add in more Tabasco Sauce to the heat level you desire. Mix well.

To Plate

• Place swordfish over the agridolce sauce. Top the swordfish with sauce verde.
• Serve immediately.

The post Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde over Tomato Agridolce, Paleo Friendly appeared first on Spinach Tiger.