Tomatoes are still the base of this stacked salad but I have traded out the other ingredients {mozzarella cheese, basil and balsamic vinaigrette} for their south-of-the-border counterparts that my family loves so much. Avocados, cilantro, cotija cheese, salsa verde and taco salad dressing complete the salad.
Ingredients
Salsa Verde
1 pound tomatillos
½ of a lime
1-2 jalapeño peppers
For a medium spicy salsa, add 1-2 serrano peppers
For a very spicy salsa, add ½-1 habañero pepper
1 tsp salt
1-3 garlic cloves
½ of a white onion
1 bunch of cilantro
1-2 Tbsp Canola oil
Taco Salad Dressing
1 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp champagne vinegar
Splash of canola oil
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp chili powder
Dash of salt
Dash of black pepper
¼ cup cilantro, chopped or torn
Mexican Caprese Salad
Tomatoes, sliced
Avocados, sliced
Cotija cheese
Cilantro, shredded
Salsa verde
Taco salad vinaigrette
Instructions
Salsa Verde
Lightly coat a large pan with canola oil.
Place the peeled garlic cloves, onion wedge, whole peppers and peeled and rinsed tomatillos in the pan.
Cook the veggies on med-high for 15-20 minutes or until browned, flipping them so that they roast on each side. If they start to stick, add a splash of water into the pan.
Place the cooked vegetables and the remaining ingredients into a blender and purée them until smooth.
Cool the salsa to room temperature.
Cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator.
Taco Salad Dressing
Mix all of the ingredients together.
Store leftover vinaigrette in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Mexican Caprese Salad
Arrange sliced tomatoes on a plate.
Top each tomato slice with avocado slices, shredded cilantro and cotija cheese.
Drizzle a combination of salsa verde and taco salad vinaigrette over the top of each stack.
Serve immediately.
Recipe by Itsy Bitsy Foodies at http://itsybitsyfoodies.com/mexican-caprese-salad/