Tomato, Mozzarella and Avocado Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

Vegetarian

This one is a classic, known in Italy as insalata tricolore.

It’s not recorded if it was specifically created to echo the colours of the Italian flag, or whether some inspired chef assembled these ingredients and suddenly appreciated their significance. Either way, it’s a lovely combination of textures and flavours. Mozzarella is now sold as baby bite-sized cheese called bocconcini, which look particularly attractive here.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to make a vinaigrette dressing, click the image to play.

This recipe is from The Delia Collection: Italian. Serves 2

method
Ingredients

Method

Prepare the salad first.

Thinly slice the tomatoes, then halve the avocado, remove and discard the stone and skin and thinly slice each half of the flesh. Drain the bocconcini and cut these in half (or if you’re using a large mozzarella, cut it into thin slices).

Now arrange the tomato and avocado slices on a serving plate in overlapping circles, starting from the edge, placing the whole basil leaves among the layers. Finally, place the mozzarella on top.

Make up the dressing by crushing the clove of garlic, together with the salt, in a pestle and mortar until it becomes a creamy mass. After that, add the mustard and work that into a paste, then add a good grinding of freshly milled black pepper, followed by the vinegar and lastly the oil, whisking everything until thoroughly amalgamated.

Stir in the chopped herbs and, just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad.