Photo by Michael Piazza

Submitted by Kara and Marni Powers of the North Shore. They get their tomatoes at the many Cape Ann farmers markets, and they find their copy of Edible Boston at Russell Orchards and Ryan & Wood in Ipswich.

“Here is a twist on the classic caprese salad: Unripe, green tomatoes are marinated and then grilled, giving a nice smoky char to the traditional recipe. Serve with grilled bread.”

Serves 4–5 as a side dish or 2–3 as a main course

2–3 large green (unripe) heirloom tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
¼ cup fresh basil, julienned

In a large ziplock bag, mix the tomatoes, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Place the bag in the refrigerator and allow the tomatoes to marinate for 1 hour.

Light the grill. Remove the tomatoes from the marinade and grill 3 minutes each side. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Assemble the salad on a platter, alternating the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Drizzle the leftover marinade over the salad, sprinkle with basil and some more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.