Ah mozzarella! Unlike a tangy blue cheese or a stinky washed rind that can scare people off with its funk, this fresh young cheese is so unobtrusive that it’s hard to find someone who dislikes it. Thankfully, as Stella® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese shows us, mild does not mean tasteless.
No one knows for sure when mozzarella first appeared on the cheese scene, but we do know that southern Italy is its undisputed birthplace. Mozzarella as we know it first shows up in the sixteenth-century writings of a chef in the Papal Court. However, a version of the cheese likely existed centuries before. This Italian cheese has since gained a devoted worldwide following; No pizza is complete without a generous helping. Since 1923, Stella® Cheese has put an American spin on traditional Italian cheeses, and this mozzarella is no exception.
Made from cow’s milk, Stella® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese is prized for its versatility and supreme meltability. It’s a welcome addition to pasta and grilled cheese, or enjoyed on its own with a glass of crisp Pinot Grigio. In this Stella® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese and Stone Fruit Salad, plums, apricots, and milky cheese all combine to pay homage to the fading summer nights.
Stella® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese and Stone Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 8 ounces Stella® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 3 plums pitted and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 3 apricots pitted and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
- ►Whisk oil, lemon juice, Dijon, maple syrup, and salt together in medium bowl until combined. Stir in cilantro and set dressing aside.
- ►Slice mozzarella rounds in half to form half-moon shape. Arrange mozzarella half moons, plum rounds, and apricot rounds on a large platter, alternating stone fruits after each mozzarella piece.
- ►Pile any remaining fruit and mozzarella in center of platter. Drizzle dressing evenly over salad. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
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