SATURDAY'S SALAD

Tomatoes are coming in now and I thought this salad was very interesting. It's certainly not what I'm used to fixing so I'm going to try it! It's another gem from the TUPELO HONEY CAFE COOKBOOK.

PICKLED GREEN TOMATO SALAD WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA
1 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. water
1 c. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
6 green tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced into thin rings
6 thick slices fresh mozzarella cheese
Sliced red bell pepper, for garnish
Thinly sliced fresh basil, for garnish
In a heavy saucepan, bring the vinegar, brown sugar, salt and water to a boil and keep warm. In a saute pan or skillet, heat the olive oil, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, curry powder, and cayenne pepper over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar and oil mixture to create a warm pickling liquid. Add the tomatoes, green onions, and jalapeno to the pickling liquid, cover, and let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours or refrigerate overnight. To serve, arrange the cheese slices on a platter. Drain the tomato wedges and place them on top of the cheese. Garnish with bell pepper and basil.
Makes 6 servings