May came and every shabby phoenix flapped
A coloured rag in lieu of shining wings

After May Patrick Kavanagh

Summer time calls for the fleeting pleasure of light salads in sunny gardens. There’s not time or inclination to spend hours in a stuffy kitchen; what could be a more fitting meal than the simple, quick and full flavours of a Caprese salad. Creamy mozzarella, deep basil and fresh tomato combine in a dressing of complex earthy olive oil.

Actually the best Caprese I have ever tasted was a Spanish twist on this - served in the excellent Bar AlfAlfa in Seville. There they used fresh oregano rather than basil, to give an Andalusian twist.

1 beef heart tomato sliced - 1 cm thick
2 lactose free mozzarella balls (125 g) sliced - 1/2 cm thick
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper 
1 spring onion (green part only) chopped finely
10 - 20 basil leaves

• Arrange the sliced tomato on a plate, leaving an empty patch in the centre.
• Place mozzarella slices over the tomato slices.
• Place the basil leaves over the mozzarella slices.
• The tomato, mozzarella and basil should form a fan pattern.
• Build up a mound of the remaining mozzarella, tomato and basil in the centre.
• Drizzle over with the olive oil.
• Sprinkle over the spring onion, salt, pepper and oregano.