Tuesday, September 7, 2010

I Said You Wanna Be TART-in Somethin'...

...you got to be TART-in' somethin'...

Burrata CU

And Big Sur Bakery TART-ed somethin' serious with this Heirloom/Burrata salad...somethin' that's too high for us Tarts to get over anytime soon.

You start with a basil oil that will knock your socks off...

Basil Oil

We halved the recipe and still had plenty left over. Erin drizzled it over eggs the next morning and said it was yummilicious.


Heirloom Tomato Salad with Microgreens,
Burrata and Balsamic-Basil Dressing

Basil Oil*
3 bunches of basil (leaves and stems)
1 cup rice bran oil or canola oil
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt

*Makes about 1 cup

Fill a bowl halfway with water and about a dozen ice cubes. Set aside.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add the salt and blanch the basil in boiling water until its bright green, 20 to 30 seconds. Immediately strain the basil and place it in the ice water. Let it cool for 2 minutes (the ice water will stop the basil from overcooking and help it color). Squeeze the basil dry in a kitchen towel.

Put the blanched basil (stems and all) in a blender, add the oil, and puree. Let the puree sit for 2 hours at room temperature.

Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a container. Reserve the basil oil at room temperature until ready to use. It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Salad
12 ounces (about 3 balls) burrata
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup rice bran oil or canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 assorted heirloom tomatoes
2 cups (4 ounces) microgreens
1/4 cup basil oil

About 30 minutes before serving time, pull the burrata from the refrigerator and set it aside to come to room temperature. (We used one package that only had two large balls. Balls...he he.)

Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the pine nuts on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Let the nuts cool completely. (We pan roasted them on the stove instead.)

To make the dressing, put the vinegar, basil, mustard, and pine nuts in a blender and purée until smooth. With the blender running, add the rice bran oil or canola oil in a slow, steady stream, blending until the dressing is thick and emulsified. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and set it aside.

This dressing is so DERN good, you won't be able to stop yo-self...

Erin licking

Cut the burrata balls in half and season them generously with salt and pepper.

Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange them on a serving plat ter. Season them generously with salt and pepper, and drizzle with some of the balsamic-basil dressing. In a mixing bowl, toss the greens with 1 tablespoon of the dressing; arrange them on top of the tomatoes. Place the burrata halves on top of the greens, soft center up, and finish with a drizzle of basil oil.

Salad final

This salad rocks so hard, even Tiny Tart wanted in on the action...

Tiny Tart

Ma Ma Se, Ma Ma Sa, BURRATA Sa!

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