Summer Caprese Salad
Recipe courtesy David L. Daniot, CEC, Executive Chef, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Grosse Pointe, Mich.

For the Mozzarella “Mat”:
8 ozs. mozzarella cheese curd
½ gal. water—salted to taste like sea water, heated to 160˚ and maintained there

• Using a strainer, submerge cheese curds in water and work with a wooden spoon until it reaches a smooth mass.
• Remove from water and continue working until perfectly smooth.
• Work into a uniform sheet in a vacuum bag, seal, and press flat overnight.

For the Olive Oil-Poached Grape Tomatoes:
12 grape tomatoes, peeled
2 cloves peeled garlic, crushed
2 sprigs thyme
6 black peppercorns
to taste sea salt
2 fl. ozs. California extra virgin olive oil

• Vacuum-seal and poach in a 170˚ water bath for 10 minutes.
• Cool in an ice bath.

For the Stuffed Roma Tomato:
4 roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded

• Fill tomatoes with tomato fondue (classical preparation of tomato concassé, slowly sautéed in butter or oil with minced onion, garlic, salt, & pepper).

Final Assembly:
• Cut a rectangular “mat” from the compressed mozzarella and brush with a little seasoned olive oil; place on center of plate.
• Place a stuffed roma tomato on one end of mozzarella mat.
• Place some baby lettuce leaves that have been dressed with a little olive oil and lemon juice on the other end of the mozzarella mat.
• Organically place two or three of the olive oil-poached tomatoes around the plate.
• Garnish the salad with dehydrated roma tomato slices for texture.
• Finesse the plate with micro basil and a light drizzle of California olive oil.
• At service, garnish the stuffed tomato with a light cracker made from brick dough, seasoned with black pepper and a sprinkle of smoked sea salt.