Tomato salad with mozzarella and basil oil

Ingredients

• 400 grams mixed-color cherry tomatoes

• 50 ml white wine vinegar

• 200 ml water

• 50 grams sugar

• 5 grams salt

• 2 star anise

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 tasty tomatoes

• 4 roma tomatoes

• 2 balls of mozzarella or burrata (300 grams total)

• Lettuce for garnish

Ingredients for the basil oil

• 100 grams fresh basil

• 100 grams olive oil

• Juice of half a lemon

• Pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a pan of water to a boil.

2. In a second pan, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil, then let it cool.

3. Wash the cherry tomatoes and score a small cross on the bottom of each. Place them in the boiling water for 10 seconds, then cool immediately in ice water.

4. Remove the skins and place the cherry tomatoes in the marinade. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

5. Remove the stems and cores from the larger tomatoes and cut them into irregular pieces.

6. Take the cherry tomatoes out of the marinade and combine them with the other tomatoes.

7. For the basil oil, remove the basil leaves from the stems and blend them with the olive oil and lemon juice.

8. Strain the basil oil through a fine sieve.

9. Toss the tomato mixture with basil oil and season with pepper and salt.

10. Divide the tomato salad over 4 plates and place the mozzarella on top.

11. Add black pepper if you like, drizzle with extra basil oil, and garnish with some lettuce.

Storage advice
Marinated tomatoes: keep refrigerated in the marinade for up to 2 days.
Consume the rest immediately.

Nutritional information