Mozzarella and Balsamic

My friend John and I have been discussing mozzarella a lot lately. We love good mozzarella, and John will often go out of his way to Caputo's for some of their freshly made cheese. The other night we were at dinner and watched an Insalata Caprese pass by. The style of the dish looked great, but we were baffled as to why restaurants insist on serving tomatoes in the Winter. When tomatoes are not in season, there is really no point to ordering them; they are not fresh and have no flavor. We are both very strong proponents of the local movement, and tomatoes in the New York Winter are an affront to seasonal eating. So we started brainstorming what foods could match a good mozzarella in the colder months. There really are no vegetables that have the same sweet/acidic flavor and juicy texture of a tomato. I suggested a good balsamic vinegar that has been reduced and rid of some of its pungency, which brings out a similar acidic sweetness. John agreed- a reduced balsamic really is the only appropriate Winter match for a good mozz.

I started thinking of other similar condiments/sauces that were similar to balsamic, and I got to pomegranate molasses, one of my favorite things. However, what is nice about the Caprese are the layers of tomato and cheese, so I felt like I still needed something else besides the balsamic. What I came up with was sliced oranges (peeled of all pith and cut horizontally) that I cooked in a pan with balsamic vinegar. I sliced the oranges beforehand and let them marinate with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. I then put them in a pan and reduced everything together. The oranges took on a caramelized flavor and texture, without becoming too sweet, and the balsamic reduced with the orange juice. I then layered the slices of fresh mozzarella with the orange, and garnished it with fresh pomegranate seeds (also sweet and acidic), and drizzled it with Tondo reduced balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses, and extra virgin olive oil. You can just use a bottle of regular balsamic vinegar and reduce some with the oranges and then some by itself for the drizzle. I have been eying that Tondo balsamic "cream" for a while and couldn't help myself. If you are into foodie indulgences, you should check it out for easy drizzling and garnishing.

I would be curious to know what other vegetables and condiments you would want to pair with mozzarella this time of year. Let us know!