Danny K’s Caprese Skewers on Himalayan Salt Block

It may seem a little oxymoronic for an at-home-Greek chef to share, as his first online recipe, an Italian-inspired appetizer, but that’s how we roll in Chef Danny K’s kitchen… ώπα!

Chef Danny K—Patent attorney and at-home chef

…Because in Danny’s kitchen you’ll find flavors from around the globe ready to satisfy the ever-craving, diversified palates of his family. Cooking with creative license allows Danny to escape the world of patent agreements and formulations that consume his weekday hours. The kitchen is his space in our home, without a doubt (and he’ll let you know it if you try to grab a little counter space to whip up something of your own). And it’s also his space to create Greek, Italian, Mexican, and Asian inspired foods.

Feeding the crew

With three hungry sons, two of which seem to be constantly on a feeding frenzy, cooking and meal prep are priority number one in Danny’s culinary “man cave”. Creating, prepping and cooking in large quantities are also primary factors. As for me, the only female in the family (even the dog is male), I eat significantly less, but prefer organic produce and grains whenever possible. So that’s what you’ll find in Danny and Constantine’s (our youngest) shopping carts on their weekend trips to multiple local grocery stores—lots of organic produce, spices, fish and chicken… and plenty of feta (but as you might have guessed, there’s a significant amount of mozzarella, too)!

We lean heavily on fish, chicken and vegetable-centric meals. Red meat typically comes in the form of Danny’s grilled lamb chops two or three times a year—Easter, Father’s Day (yes, he cooks his own Father’s Day meal) and Christmas. Spoiled we are, my sons and I, in so many ways, most assuredly in the at-home restaurant and meal department!

Himalayan Pink Salt Block

So, why did I choose to share this particular Danny K creation? Well, when I was looking through my photo library for something bright, tasty, simple, yet fun, to prepare that our audience can do as a girls’-night-in activity or share as a cooking/food-prep project with the kids, it happened to be what popped up first.

And there it was—Danny’s Salt Block Caprese Skewers from a New Year’s Eve family celebration seven years ago! (Yep, I still have pix from that long ago on my phone! In fact, I’ve been taking photos of Danny’s kitchen handywork almost triple that amount of time!) They’re perfect for casual spring gatherings, leftover snacks, or dinnertime sides.

So here it is ladies, your April weekday-to-weekend-fun app(etizer) from my At-Home Greek, Chef Danny K!

April Recipe — Caprese Skewers on Himalayan Salt Block

While the salt block is not a must to use as a serving surface for these awesome skewers, it does lend a pleasantly mild, salty flavor to the vegetables and cheese especially when chilled in the fridge before eating. Himalayan pink salt has a significant amount of trace minerals, according to the NIH. It’s not clear how much cold foods absorb when prepped or placed on top of a salt block, however. What is certain is the enhanced flavor of these fresh-tasting skewers (and the cool presentation is always fun). Time to dig out your salt block from a few years back or find one online to incorporate in your meal prep and presentation!

SKEWERS

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
16 oz cherry-size fresh mozzarella balls (e.g., Ciliegine mozzarella) or large mozzarella balls cut to size
2 C fresh basil leaves (whole, not chopped)
1 large red onion, cut to approx 1″ x 1″ pieces
Toothpicks or skewers (3-4 inches in length) as needed

BALSAMIC DRESSING