One of my favorite appetizers to serve in the summer as the tomatoes are at their peak and the basil is growing seemingly nonstop begging to be enjoyed is the classic Caprese Bruschetta. A crispy crust baguette with chewy insides becomes all the more scrumptious with a few added flavor amplifiers and quality fresh mozzarella.

As you will see in today’s epsiode, there are three different ways that I enjoy it depending on the ingredients available and what the kitchen makes offers for cooking purposes (an oven or just a stovetop, or any cooking mechanism at all). Each one offers the traditional three ingredients of Caprese – Basil, Tomato and Mozzarella. And with those three ingredients, you really cannot go wrong.

Also, it is important to note, regarding the taping of today’s episode that it was actually the first episode I taped for the season. There were, as you will see, a few learning curves that needed to be maneuvered (ahem . . . running out of recording space before the cooking session was done), but I did what I could to salvage the final presentation. Thank you for your patience with this first-time stepping in front of the camera, and regardless of the season, if you are craving Caprese Bruschetta, it is a simple and quite delicious appetizer to pull together. Every time I have chosen to include it at any one of my many dinner parties or gatherings at my home, it is a crowd favorite.

Included in this episode is a short tutorial on knife skills, which size and design of knife to use and how to properly hold and use a knife to avoid any accidents (aka cutting one’s fingers). Now to the episode! I do hope you enjoy!

~View all of the Episode of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen here. 

Links from the Episode:

• Discover the 34 must-Have Items to Stock Your épicerie (pantry) with to ensure you can prepare any meal no matter what the season.
• Shop TSLL Kitchen Store to find the items used in this episode and many more (below are the items from this episode)
  • Castiron Skillet, 10″
    
  • Rectangular white ceramic serving platters, graduated
    
    • Sur la Table is having a great Anniversary Sale at the moment and you can save an additional 10% with EXTRA10 promo code. 
  • E.Dehillerin 23″ Chef’s Knife (traditional chef knife length)
    
  • Wüsthof’s classic Chef Knife, multiple sizes (a 6″ aka a 20″ knife is my 2nd go-to knife in my kitchen)
  • Quarter sheet pans (on sale, and save an additional 10% off with EXTRA10 promo code)
• View TSLL’s Paris Travel Guide

See TSLL readers/viewers share their meals inspired by TSL Kitchen below!

~Reader Comments about Episode #5, Season #1 – A French Omelette

• from Instagram, @kristiaronica: I made this omelette for dinner tonight and it was so good! Thank you for showing us that technique. It made a huge difference in how my omelettes turned out. Please keep doing your videos! They’re great!
• from Youtube, Sheila West: Love, love your kitchen season videos and the tour of Paris. Thank you so much, and I am looking forward to more kitchen adventures with Shannon!

~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen! Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen and your post could appear on my Instagram feed.

Below readers/viewers share how they were inspired to cook in their own kitchen! 

Recipes

~Caprese Bruschetta (oven) – click here for the full recipe

~Caprese Salad

• Ingredients:
  • Fresh Mozzarella
  • Ripe Tomatoes
  • Fresh Basil
  • Balsamic Vinager (top quality)
  • Flaky Sea Salt
    

• Directions:
  • Slice the mozzarella and the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices
  • Julienne the basil
  • On a long, narrow platter, organize the tomato slices with the mozzarella slices – overlapping every other. 
  • Sprinkle with basil and flaky sea salt.
  • Drizzle sparingly with balsamic vinegar
  • Serve with a glass of crisp rosé and enjoy!

~Caprese Bruschetta (stove top)

• Ingredients:
  • Fresh tomatoes, diced
  • 6-10 slices of a fresh baguette (on the bias)
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Julienned fresh basil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
• Directions:
  • Prepare the tomatoes, slice the bread and julienne the basil while bringing to medium (on the low-side) a skillet.
  • Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet. 
  • Once the skillet is at temperature, drizzle olive oil on each side of the slices of baguette (be generous). Place each slice (as many as you can fit in one layer) into the skillet until lightly golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Flip and toast on the second side. 
  • Remove the slices of bread from the skillet. Add another tablespoon of olive oil, and then gently cook the garlic (about 30 seconds). Then add the diced tomatoes. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until they are warmed, but still somewhat hold their shape. Remove from the heat. 
  • Assemble the slices of bread on a platter, place a spoonful of the tomatoes on top of each slice. Sprinkle with basil and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. 
  • Serve warm and enjoy!