WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their Got to Be Good Cookin’ segment using ingredients grown and available right here in North Carolina.
Fans of a traditional caprese salad should enjoy this North Carolina twist featuring locally grown Granny Smith apples. The dish earned Marci Rakshys of Durham first place in the N.C. Apple Growers Association Apple Recipe Contest at the 2012 N.C. State Fair. To watch Brian and Lisa make this dish, check out the video at WRAL.com.
Start by making a marinade for the apples. Combine extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and sea salt into a large freezer bag. Next core and slice four N.C. Granny Smith apples and place them in the bag. Seal and shake to gently coat the apple slices and chill for one hour.
While the apples are in the refrigerator, you can prepare the prosciutto and pecans. Bake the prosciutto at 350 degrees until crisp. Let cool and crumble. To make the pecans, combine butter, soy sauce, sea salt and garlic powder into a frying pan until the ingredients are warm. Then add chopped pecans and coat with the mixture.
Pull the apples out of the refrigerator and remove from the marinade. Grill the slices for about four minutes on each side, or until tender. Finally, it’s time to assemble the caprese.
Layer a slice of grilled apple, fresh basil leaves and slice of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with the apple marinade, season with salt and pepper and top with crumbled prosciutto and toasted pecans.
Bon appetit, y’all!