How to Make an easy tomato and basil salad with mascarpone and bleu cheese mousse

A tomato and basil salad sounds like a simple delight, right? It is, and the only thing that can make it even better is a mousse with a delicious blend of mascarpone and bleu cheese. Eric Brennan, Executive Chef at Post 390, created a tower of garden-fresh tomatoes with layers of basil and a decadent and creamy mascarpone-bleu cheese mousse. No slaving over a hot stove here and a real crowd pleaser.

INGREDIENTS:

Mousse - makes enough to dress 4 large tomatoes

* 10 oz mascarpone cheese

* 2 tbsp honey

* zest of ¼ lemon

* 4 oz crumbled bleu cheese

* salt & pepper to taste

Tomato Salad

* large ripe tomatoes, cut into 4 slices each

* ¼ cup red onion, minced

* 2-3 basil leaves per layer

* ¼ lb baby arugula

* 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

* 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

* salt & pepper to taste

* ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

HOW-TO:

1. Whip mascarpone with honey, lemon zest and pinch of salt and pepper

2. Fold in crumbled bleu cheese and chill

3. Cut each tomato in 4 even slices and season salt and pepper

4. Sprinkle with minced red onion

5. For each portion, top 3 of the tomato slices with a heaping tablespoon of the mousse

6. Add 2-3 basil leaves onto mousse of all 3 slices. Stack one on top of another and finish with the tomato slice without mousse (4 layers in all)

7. Plate each stack of tomatoes

8. Mix arugula with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Top each stack with the dressed arugula and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts

Serving Suggestion

* Serve with focaccia, bread sticks or crispy sliced baguette