Sun-Dried Tomato Caprese with Smoked Mozzarella

Mary Anne here. Old Man Winter officially arrived last week, yet here at Feast on the Cheap, Mariel and I share a craving for all things tomato. Our Summer Tomato Salad with Brie and Bermuda Onion, The Palm’s Monday Night Salad, or even a hearty Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad would quell our yearning. Maybe it’s the absence of daylight and some strange mutual deficiency in vitamin C, but this is hardly the best time of year to find plump, juicy, rosy-red tomats. What I’m seeing at my greengrocer’s is a motley assortment of overpriced hothouse imposters that lack both flavor and texture.

Refusing to give into Mother Nature – and since I’m responsible for making a New Year’s Eve appetizer – I created this ersatz Tomato Caprese by swapping out fresh tomatoes with the sun-dried variety, and eschewing the pricey, yet scrawny fresh basil in favor of reliable dried herbs in my pantry. This rendition is a cross between a Fig and Olive Tapenade w/ Sun-dried Tomatoes and the aforementioned fresh tomato salads. No matter what you call it, or how you serve it, this is a close second to enjoying the harvest of summer’s solstice in the dead of winter.

And if you’re looking for some New Year’s treats, we’ve got a delicious menu incorporating some of the superstitions to ensure a year filled with good luck. Have a happy, healthy New Year!

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Sun-Dried Tomato Caprese with Smoked Mozzarella

Tip: You can prepare this up to 2 days before. Bring the tomato mixture back to room temperature before serving. Store the toasted baguette rounds in a sealed plastic container.

Serves 10

Ingredients:
4 ozs. sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil – $2.49
2 cloves garlic, minced – stock
1 Teaspoon dried basil – stock
½ Teaspoon dried oregano – stock
1 Teaspoon Balsamic vinegar – stock
2 Teaspoons of the sun-dried tomato oil – included above
sea salt and pepper, to taste – stock
½ lb. smoked mozzarella, sliced – $3.84
1 thin French baguette, sliced into ½” thick rounds – $2.29
olive oil – stock
garlic powder – stock
Grand Total Assuming a Well-Stocked Pantry: $8.62
Total Per Serving: $0.86

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the baguette slices on an un-greased cookie sheet. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of garlic powder.

2. Bake the bread for 10 minutes until crisp and the edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack.

3. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Add the herbs, garlic, vinegar, oil form the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Combine well.

4. Assemble the “brushetta”: Place a slice of the cheese on each toasted round. Top with the Sun-dried Tomato Caprese. Serve at room temperature.

Tagged as: budget, Christmas, cooking, entertaining, fall, food, healthy, Holidays, Hors d'Oœuvres, Recipes Under $10, vegetarian, winter