Considering that balsamic vinegar makes up a fourth of the classic caprese salad, we're pretty big fans. This salad's star ingredients, though, are the grapefruit and orange slices that add an extra sparkle for the summer season. Mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, and freshly made pesto sauce make it so easy to capture all of the wonderfully harmonious flavors in each and every bite. Pesto is herbaceous, nutty, and incredibly versatile. It can be used on crackers or bread, as a pasta sauce, or in salads like this one! Making your own is fantastic because you can customize it with different flavors of extra virgin olive oil or adjust the ingredient ratios to change the flavor and consistency to your preference.
Pesto Ingredients:
- 1 c. fresh basil, packed tightly
- ⅛ c. pine nuts or shelled sunflower seeds
- ¼ c. Teaoli Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Blood Orange, Eureka Lemon, Garlic, and Persian Lime all work well for this recipe)
- ¼ c. parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients:
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes
- 4 oz. mozzarella pearls
- 1 orange
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 cup Teaoli Balsamic Vinegar (Tangerine or Traditional)
Preparation:
- Peel, then slice grapefruit and orange into wedges, removing seeds whenever possible.
- Wash and halve cherry tomatoes.
- Combine fruit, tomatoes, and cheese in a large bowl and set aside.
- Combine pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor, then add to salad and stir to coat ingredients.
- In a non-stick saucepan over medium high heat, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until reduced by half.
- Drizzle balsamic reduction over salad and serve.