Sunday Afternoon , on a lighter note

Thought I would whip up a few light ones today .

I had just purchased some fresh imported bufala mozzarella and it screamed out light summer fare. I also had some fresh Colombian farmers cheese along with a freshly homemade black beans. These ingredients were enough to make a few quick dishes. A classic Caprese salad with a twist, and something a little bit heartier.

Read along , I am sure you will approve.

Comino Basil Avocado Caprese Salad

Basil Avocado Caprese

Preparation Notes:

Two twists here to this Italian classic. The addition of a few avocado chunks and the use of an emulsified basil-olive oil dressing. This extra creamniness counterbalanced the creaminess of the richer mozzarella. A few slices of ciabatta bread, and you are all set the the day, and perhaps, the eve.

Oh wait. Garnish with sliced strawberries, and get in touch with your more feminine side.

Comino Beans with Colombian Farmers Cheese

"Comino" Beans and Colombian Farmers Cheese

Preparation Notes:

The beans were extra simple to make, especially considering that the base ingredient, the beans themselves, were precooked from scratch (you can cheat by using some canned ones, but remember to rinse the of their original starch). Toss the beans into a skillet, season with salt, black pepper, ground cumin - on the heavy side, if you like flavor - along with some EVOO. Cook the beans just a few minutes to ensure that the new flavors permeate. Plate intona rustic bowl, top with slices of Colombian farmers cheese.

So what's the perfect drink for these two fun dishes? Two tall glasses of Blue Moon did the trick for me. Stay tuned for tomorrow. After this past series of dishes, I predict that we might be switching to seafood for a while.

Salute!