Easy Appetizer Recipes
Sign Up for the Recipe Publishing Newsletter
Simple Stacked Mozerella and Tomato Salad
Stacking a salad makes it look special. Your guests will feel like they are being served by a chef in a fancy restaurant when they see this delicious salad on their plate. It does not really matter what order you stack the layers in as long as they make a nice contrast in color and texture. You can do this with any number of salad recipes. Cobb salad and BLT salad recipes work especially well for this technique since they have ingredients with a nice contrast to each other.
Stacking your salad is simple. Next time you make a recipe with canned goods, save one of the 14 ounce cans. Cut off both ends and wash it out. This is your template to keep the layers stacked while you build your salad. You will want to find a bottle that fits inside the can that you will use to tamp down the layers. You may find that your olive oil bottle or other small bottle will work fine.
When you remove the can, do it carefully. It is okay if a piece of lettuce falls to the wayside; it creates that bit of artistic freedom on the plate. Serve your salad with a complementary vinaigrette that is in a separate dish or is drizzled around the plate. It will get mixed with the salad when your guests begin to eat. Make stacked salads and you will find you become the talk of your friends; they do not need to know it was so easy.
BLT Salad Recipe for a Stacked Salad Appetizer
Ingredients -
3 round medium-sized red tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 avocado, sliced and diced
4 ounces of cheese, your choice -mozerella works well
4 rashers bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 boneless chicken breast, cooked and cubed
2 Tablespoons ranch dressing to mix with chicken
Frilly leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
Preparation:
Save a 14 ounce can when you used canned tomatoes or other canned food. Remove both the top and bottom of the can. Clean thoroughly.
Slice the tomatoes so you have two slices per person. Place one slice in the center of the plate. Place the can over the tomato.
Add some cheese and avocado to the next layer. Sprinkle bacon over the top for the third layer. Use a bottle that fits inside the can to firm up your layers so far.
Add a layer of cubed chicken mixed with ranch dressing. The dressing helps the chicken stay together in the salad and keeps it moist. Press down with the bottle again.
Add another slice of tomato and then top with some chopped lettuce.
Place the bottle gently on top and hold it in place while you lift up the can, revealing the stacked salad inside.
Drizzle dressing around the outer edge of the salad or serve with a vinaigrette on the side.
(Serves 6)
Photo Description:
Doesn't this salad look impressive? You can do this too and impress your friends and family. Choose a theme for your salad like a BLT salad or a Cobb salad. Instead of tossing the ingredients together, stack them one layer at a time. When your guests sit down, they are impressed with the salad stack. The ingredients become mixed once they begin to eat. You can drizzle your choice of vinaigrette around the plate as we did, or you can serve a small dish of vinaigrette on the side to be used at your guests' leisure.
