When Geoffrey Zakarian Met My Fridge - Baked Caprese Dip For My Kids

It was one of those days. You know the kind—laundry half-done, paper half-written, dishes multiplying, and me still in yoga pants I had no intention of doing yoga in. Then came the text:

“Hey Mom, we’re stopping by in 45.” My grown kids. Grown enough to know that they never have to add “We’re hungry,” because they know me.

But I hadn’t been food shopping in a while. Hmm.

I had seen Geoffrey Zakarian’s Raw (Unbaked) Caprese Dip the other night—I might have some of those ingredients.

The Fridge Improv

2 containers of Boursin Cheese? No, just one. Ok, use a smaller container.

Cherry tomatoes? Nope. Fine. I had kumato tomatoes, some looking a little wrinkly, but nothing a hot oven couldn’t fix.

Aged Balsamic? Nope.

Fresh mozzarella or burrata? Not exactly. But I did have some mozzarella pearls marinating in the fridge and the tail end of a 72 month Parmesan

Basil? Yes! A bumper crop in the garden.

INGREDIENTS

1 round of Boursin - a soft herbed cheese

3-4 medium-sized tomatoes

1/4 cup Parmesan

1 head of roasted garlic*

salt and pepper

1-2 tablespoons of good olive oil

pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

4-6 ounces mozzarella pearls

handful of fresh basil

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400. I’m sure the original is great unbaked, but is there anything that’s homier than garlic, bread and cheese baking in the oven when you walk through the door?

I rough-chopped the tomatoes, tossed them with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

In the bottom of your pan, spread the Boursin.

Put it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Remove it from the oven and top with the tomato mixture.

Slice the mozzarella pearls in half and place them on top.

Put the pan back in the oven for about 15 minutes. You can broil it afterwards for a couple minutes to brown the cheese a bit.

Remove and add the Parmesan and Basil. Let cool a bit to avoid burned tongues, and serve with toast points.

A point about the garlic and toast: I had JUST roasted several heads of garlic in olive oil, which I do when I have too much garlic around (Is there really such a thing?) I thawed a sourdough roll, sliced it and brushed it with the oil that I roasted the garlic in before I threw it in the oven with the dip. But any toast, crackers or the like would do.

The kids walked in just as I was setting it on the counter.

“Whoa, this looks fancy, Mom.”

“Can we eat it with a spoon?” See, no need for the bread.

I just smiled and said, “It’s a riff on a Geoffrey Zakarian dish.”

Because if you say it like that, it sounds like you know what you’re doing.

When I make this again, and I will, I’d probably drizzle on some balsamic glaze. But honestly? They scraped that pan clean. And that, in Mom terms anyway, is a Michelin star.