Tomato Trio

Roasted tomato purée:
1 cup oven roasted tomatoes (or 1 cup of sun dried tomatoes)
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Mozzarella and vine ripe tomato stacks:
2 pounds fresh mozzarella*, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 –3 large vine-ripened tomatoes* (or 4 –6 medium tomatoes), cut into ¼-inch slices
Macerated Tomato Salad:
1 pint of grape tomatoes (yellow or red)
¾ - 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ - ½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, removed from stems
*Make sure you have enough to put 3 slices of cheese and 3 slices of tomato on each stack.

For roasted tomato purée:
Place all ingredients in a blender and purée. Salt to taste.
For mozzarella and tomato stacks:
Lay slices of mozzarella and tomatoes out flat on a cutting board or tray and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use three pieces of each to build stacks. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For tomato salad:
Slice grape tomatoes in half and place in bowl. Season with salt and pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, and thyme. The tomatoes should be covered in olive oil-balsamic liquid. Let mixture sit in refrigerator overnight.

To assemble, place about 1 Tablespoon of tomato purée in bowl or the center of plate, place about 2 Tablespoons of the macerated tomato salad on top of the purée. Place one stack of tomato and cheese on top of tomato salad. Garnish with fresh basil.

Packing tips:
Make the mozzarella and tomato stacks ahead of time and wrap each one individually in plastic wrap. Place wrapped stacks in a large, deep plastic container with a lid so they do not get crushed. Put the tomato purée salad and the tomato salad, including the marinade, in separate plastic containers. Assemble the salad in a bowl or on a plate once you get to your picnic destination.

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Chef Ron Reda of Dish – Washington, DC
Adapted by StarChefs