Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Salad

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather all the ingredients for the mozzarella and cherry tomato salad. Instead of arugula, you can use mâche, iceberg or romaine lettuce, or spinach — they all go very well with tomatoes and cheese. Rinse the leaves under running water and pat them dry with paper towels.

2. Step 2:

   

   Drain the brine from the cheese. I used mini mozzarella balls; if you have a large ball, cut it into small cubes. Cut the bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and stem, and peel the onion. Which onion is best? For salad I'd recommend shallots or white salad onion — they're milder and ideal for vegetable mixes. Rinse the tomatoes, herbs, and lemon in clean water.

3. Step 3:

   

   Take a large flat dish or salad bowl and lay down a first layer of arugula, then a layer of bell pepper cut into small strips.

4. Step 4:

   

   Cut the onion in half and slice each half into slivers. You can also cut it into thin rings or half-rings, whichever you prefer; add it to the salad.

5. Step 5:

   

   Halve the cherry tomatoes, leaving a few whole for looks. Add them to the rest of the ingredients.

6. Step 6:

   

   Just the finishing touches left — add the mozzarella to the bowl. If you have mini cheese balls, you can halve a few of them the same way as the cherry tomatoes.

7. Step 7:

   

   Salt the salad to taste and sprinkle it with ground pepper if you like. I usually use allspice and sweet red pepper. Drizzle olive oil over the top and add freshly squeezed lemon juice if you like (you can use lime instead of lemon).

8. Step 8:

   

   Add finely chopped fresh herbs to the salad. Dill, parsley, or basil are perfect. I sometimes add garlic, finely chopped by hand, to all the ingredients — you can use it too if you like.