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Chef’s Summer Recipes: Josh Kroner’s Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad

  • Blanca Valbuena
  • August 25, 2014

I’ve been a fan of Terrapin restaurant for quite a long time. Rhinebeck in itself is a culinary crown and for me, Terrapin is its brightest jewel. Chef Josh Kroner has led the farm to table movement in the Hudson Valley since 1998. He is now the executive Chef/Owner of Terrapin which was voted Best Restaurant in Dutchess County in 2010 & 2011. At Terrapin, Chef Kroner features American cooking peppered with touches of French, Southwestern and Asian cuisines, all made with local, and organic ingredients. I asked Chef Kroner to share with us a recipe that he felt would bes represent summer. He offered his Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad and told us that: “A Caprese salad is usually sliced tomatoes alternated with sliced mozzarella and basil leaves with olive oil and balsamic vinegar drizzled on top. It is really more of an antipasta than a traditional salad. This version takes it back into the salad world and it becomes a great dish to serve at any summer event, from a barbecue to a formal dinner. The key to a great Caprese is great ingredients; since there are only a few, you need to make sure they really shine. Tomatoes have a wide range of quality going from tasteless to mind blowing. Though recent advances in winter greenhouse tomatoes have dramatically increased the quality of offseason tomatoes, there is nothing like an in-season ripe local tomato. Heirloom tomatoes tend to bruise easier, but they have better flavor. The best way to tell is with your nose.This is true for basil, and most other fruits and vegetables, as well: how it smells is how it will taste.”

Chef’s Summer Recipes: Josh Kroner’s Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced in ½”squares
  • 2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella, diced into ½”squares
  • 1 bunch fresh basil, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup to ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette (from recipe below)
  • To taste kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method:

  1. Mix tomatoes, onions, mozzarella and basil in a large salad bowl. Drain liquid released by tomatoes and toss with vinaigrette, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread and basil pesto, if desired.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 2 cups blended oil (75% canola/25% olive)
  • To taste kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method:

  1. Combine vinegar, mustard and garlic in a bowl and whisk well. While still whisking, add oil in a thin stream. Alternately, this can be done in a blender. Season to taste.

Terrapin Restaurant is located at 6426 Montgomery St, Rhinebeck, NY 12572, United States


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