Heirloom Tomatoes and Texas Mozarella
From Marion Gillcrist, La Traviata
4 large or 6 medium ripe tomatoes
2 pounds Texas mozzarella (available at some Albertson's, Central Market, Tom Thumb, and Whole Foods stores or by mail from the Mozzarella Company, Dallas, 800-798-2954 or mozzo.com).
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
approximately 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
fresh leaves or sprigs of basil (for garnish)
imported olives of your choice (for garnish)
note: Heirloom tomatoes such as Sungold (deep orange), Taxi (golden), Jubilee (golden orange), and Green Zebra (green with yellow stripes) are sold in farmers' markets, their availability depending on weather and supply;
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves and olives.
From the July 2001 issue.
A Star-Spangled SpreadSix top Austin chefs set off culinary fireworks with a potluck picnic for the Fourth of July.
Five weeks before the real event, Casa Volpe (Italian for "Fox House"), as Lisa and Emmett Fox of Austin's Asti call their stylish Tuscan-Texan villa outside Austin, was the scene of a pre-picnic photo shoot and sampling fest. As late-afternoon sunlight flooded the covered deck, the chefs began to arrive, bearing great baskets and platters of food. Marion Gillcrist, the chef and a co-owner of La Traviata, brought fresh, creamy Texas mozzarella and a bounty of heirloom tomatoes in shades from crimson to orange to green with yellow stripes. Aquarelle's Jacques Richard, a native of France, showed up with a still life of raw and blanched vegetables and a bowl of the world's most garlicky aïoli. Sam Dickey, the chef and a co-owner of the Granite Cafe, whipped up luscious mashed sweet potatoes infused with maple syrup and cascabel chiles. Will Packwood of Emilia's, who was recently named one of the country's top ten up-and-coming chefs by Food & Wine magazine, reinterpreted five-bean salad with a terrific parsley-thyme-scallion vinaigrette. For their part, the genial hosts prepared grilled lobsters (filled with vegetable slaw in a rainbow of colors) and homemade vanilla ice cream with swirls of puréed fresh peach.
Recipes
Crudites and Sauce Aioli
Five-Bean-and-Red-Onion Salad
Grilled Lobsters With Summer-Vegetable Slaw
Heirloom Tomatoes and Texas Mozarella
Honey-Ginger Applesauce
Mashed Maple-Cascabel Sweet Potatoes
Peach Swirl Vanilla Ice Cream
Sweet and Spicy Brined Pork Loin
Texas Blueberry Shortcake
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