Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad

This salad just screams summer to me. It's also the perfect side kick to anything on the grill. Chicken, steak, salmon, shrimp skewers, etc. We enjoyed it last night with grilled BBQ pork chops. Yummy! We only have this salad every now again, mostly due to the expense of using fresh mozzarella. Oh, but there's hardly anything out there that beats fresh mozzarella!

I found this recipe years and years ago via Cooking Light. It's actually a Sunset recipe that was listed under African cuisine. I was intrigued. The original recipe calls for panela cheese, which I've never been able to find, even in Portland. No, I didn't hoof it downtown to any of the crazy, unique stores to look for it, but I did look for it at the grocery stores, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, New Seasons, etc. Granted that was years ago, so maybe someone in Portland carries it now. This is a mute point however, because I've been making this salad for too long with mozzarella. The hubby and I are in love with it, as is.

I only make this salad in the summer, because with only a few ingredients, the flavors really stand out. You want tomatoes and cucumbers at their peak for this salad.

I'm one of those weirdos that likes cucumber skin and doesn't mind the seeds. I quarter the cucumber, slice it, and use it. If you aren't a rebel like me, feel free to peel and deseed your cucumber.

A nice, big hunk of fresh mozzarella. See the lovely moisture on this? It screams freshness :)

It's time to dice up the cheese, trying very hard not to eat it all while you are dicing it.

Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh mozzarella in a large salad bowl.

The dressing is simple, lime juice and olive oil. More lime juice than olive oil. Whisked, not stirred.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad, season to taste with salt and pepper, toss, then serve.

I've got leftovers in the fridge right now, and writing this is making me want to eat them. I'm trying to practice some restraint, but... it's not looking good :)

Ingredients:
3 large tomatoes, diced
1 english cucumber, quartered and sliced
3/4 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheese in a large bowl.
2. Whisk lime juice and olive oil together.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.
4. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Sunset