Recipe: Red Roast Salad

 

Yet another weekend of fellowshipping has swept us along.  One planned event, one not.  Both equally enjoyable.

On Saturday evening we had to take a salad to share at a BBQ that was some part birthday celebration and some part end-of-building-the-deck celebration, with friends.  I was uninspired when I did the grocery shopping and reluctant to purchase the myriad of salad items I might've needed to create something, once the day arrived.  I ended up buying just a few things and created a salad that thrilled me even though the kids were unexcited.  What evolved became a Red Roast Salad.

Red Roasted Salad

1 red capsicum

lots of tomatoes

kalamata olives

capricosa mozzarella cheese

fresh basil leaves

olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.  I used a combination of roma tomatoes and mini roma tomatoes.  Slice the large tomatoes lengthwise into quarters and the mini ones in half (lengthwise).  Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and dried thyme.  Bake for about an hour.
2. Slice the 'cheeks' off the red capsicum and lay it skin-side up under a griller at full heat.  Allow the capsicum skin to blacken.  Remove to a plate and cover with glad wrap.  After about 10 minutes, or when you can handle the flesh, remove the charred skins.
3. Slice the capsicum into strips.
4. Slice the capricosa mozzarella cheese (a paler version of mozzarella).
5. Slice the olives in half lengthwise.
6. Layer the tomatoes, capsicum, cheese and olives with basil leaves that are torn by hand.  Once all the ingredients are all in the bowl, splash a little extra virgin olive oil over the top.

I realise the quantities are a bit vague.  I had an oven tray filled with tomatoes and the one capsicum was enough to go with them.  I used enough olives to scatter throughout without overdoing it.

The salad was completely delicious, filled with lots of my favourite things and indulging my preference for cooked vegetables.  Even a salad can be everything you love, no matter the season.