A SIMPLE DRIZZLE OF BALSAMIC GLAZE AND A FEW BASIL LEAVES HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE FINAL PRESENTATION

Bur-ra-ta translated from Italian literally means ‘buttered’. It is a a typical product of Puglia, a region in the south of Italy and it is absolutely one of my favorite cheeses. Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made from a combination of mozzarella and cream.  The outer shell is solid mozzarella, while the inside is a combination of both mozzarella and cream, producing a unique, soft texture. It’s so delicate and just plain decadent! Even

though I’ve been cooking with and enjoying Burrata for years, there was a time when I not only had no idea what it was, but also didn’t see what all of the fuss was about. Alas, I’m reminiscing about my younger years, when I was just beginning to tap into my love for cooking.  I’ll share with you my highly embarrassing first experience with one of my favorite indulgences.

BEAUTIFUL HEIRLOOM TOMATOES DIRECTLY FROM THE FARMERS HANDS

I had just returned from a 3 day work trip which included lounging on the beach in Hawaii, swimming with sea turtles, a shopping spree for my new bachelorette pad and epic local food. Oh, and I can’t forget that I was able to bring my best friend along with me for my layover. She came over to my apartment for a salad and we ended up in Hawaii 10 hours later. True story. How cool is that?

Life was fantastic to say the least. I was for the first time ever living by myself (sans room mates), making enough money to travel every other month and had a career & lifestyle I felt very lucky to have. Ultimately, I felt like everything was coming up Sacha and  that I was exactly on the path I was supposed to be on. Sorry! I’m just trying to set the scene and help you understand where I was in my life but I’ll get to the point.

FARMERS MARKET MECCA OF FRESH TOMATOES AND BASIL

I returned from the grocery store with burrata in hand(fancy), poured myself a glass of vino and felt like a freaking grown up.  My bubble burst when I attempted to slice the cheese and was horrified to see all of the creamy liquid ooze out of the burrata. I had never seen this happen before. This isn’t normal right? What the H#%L! The cheese had gone bad! The grocery store had sold me rotten cheese. RUDE!

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES ARE MY FAVORITE KIND. I LOVE HOW THEY’RE ALWAYS DIFFERENT!

After feeling sorry for myself for a minute I took a serious page out of my mothers book and marched back over to the grocery store with my receipt and evidence of said rotten cheese. The kind gentleman in the deli gave me a look of pity and was thinking what I can only imagine was  ‘Awwww look at this poor clueless, naive girl.’ He continued to tell me that yes, Burrata was in fact supposed to be soft and creamy on the inside. That is whyyyy people actually buy it. I’m fairly certain my face turned as red as the purse I was carrying. If I had a tail it would of been creeping so far between my legs it would disappear. Ohhh my, how the self proclaimed ‘grown up’ just got taken down a few notches. I was so grateful to the kind gentleman for being discreet and not schooling me in front of the entire deli.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES & BASIL MAKE A SIMPLE & COLORFUL BASE FOR THIS SALAD

Now I look back on that day fondly and it always makes me smile. I’ve come a long way in the kitchen from that day but I will forever be learning. It wasn’t my first humbling experience and I’m sure it won’t be my last. Until then I’m going to keep eating this salad all year round.

Enjoy this Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata & Balsamic Glaze as an appetizer or main dish. Just eat it. It’s so damn good!

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata & Balsamic Glaze

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Salad or Main

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 package burrata with 2 balls
• ½ cup basil, sliced into little matchsticks
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp good quality olive oil
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper
• balsamic glaze to drizzle

Instructions

1. Cut the clean heirloom tomatoes in bites sized pieces.
2. Add garlic, basil, olive oil and S&P.
3. Mix Ingredients
4. Cover & place in the fridge to allow the flavors to mix, preferably for an hour at least.
5. Remove from fridge and using a slotted spoon arrange on serving platter or individual small plates.
6. Add pieces of burrata to the top of the tomato salad and garnish with basil.
7. Drizzle with balsamic glaze

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REFRESHING SALAD YOU CAN ENJOY IN THE HEAT!

If you were to open my fridge at any given time, you could pretty much guarantee there would be watermelon inside. It’s definitely my favorite fruit; I often snack on it when I’m blogging. Sounds messy right? Nah! Watermelon is simply misunderstood.

I texted my mom the other day asking her why we didn’t have watermelon when I was growing up. I remember eating it at my friends houses but never at home. I thought maybe it was really expensive and my mom was just being economical(totally something she would do). She responded, explaining it was too high maintenance; it wasn’t about price.

Watermelons are heavy and super annoying to carry home (if you walk to the grocery store like me), but I wouldn’t say they’re high maintenance. What works really well for me is cutting the watermelon right away into larger pieces and storing them in a big tupperware in the fridge. This takes max 10 minutes and you have a healthy & accessible snack, available all week.

CUT WHOLE WATERMELON INTO PIECES AND STORE IN THE FRIDGE FOR A HEALTHY AND ACCESSIBLE SNACK.

When it’s hot out, I don’t have much of an appetite and really try to avoid using the oven. I usually make salads or cold soups during heats waves; using the oven makes our apartment unbearable. I feel like our bodies normally crave foods like that in the summertime anyway. Am I right? It’s such a refreshing fruit and it helps to keep you hydrated, because it’s made up of mostly water and is rich in electrolytes.

SAMPLE SOME OF THE 18 TYPES OF WATERMELON THIS SUMMER!

You want to look for a watermelon that is firm and free of major bruises. This may sound silly but a ripe watermelon should be heavy for it’s size. All watermelons have a creamy yellow ‘ground spot’ where they sat in the ground, soaking up the sun. Watermelons can keep out of the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Once cut, store in a container and keep in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy this Sinfully Simple Watermelon Salad as much as I do!

Sinfully Simple Watermelon Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 cups watermelon, largely diced
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled and largely diced
• ⅛ cup feta cheese
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
• ½ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• garnish with lime wedge

Instructions

1. Combine watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese in a large bowl. Pour lime juice over mixture and sprinkle with mint. Top salad with toasted sliced almonds or black sesame seeds.

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Bring this to a BBQ or Potluck this summer!

This flavorful cold salad is a perfect option for dinner on a hot summer evening or to pack along with you on a picnic. Its filling enough to stand alone as a main or can be served as a side dish. This is a great salad to bring with you to a potluck or BBQ. It will definitely be stand out among the usual macaroni, bean and potato salads.

I must disclose that I have a love/hate relationship with asparagus. Sometimes I crave it like nobody’s business; other times it makes my stomach cringe. This week I’m riding the asparagus train and love how this low calorie veg adds a nice pop of color to the salad.

Asparagus is largely produced in China, followed by Peru and Mexico. Here in the US, production is mostly concentrated in California, Washington and Michigan.

PRAWNS+ASPARAGUS+ORZO MAKE THIS A HEARTY SALAD

This spring vegetable is mostly made up of water, low in sodium and can be found in a variety of colors; white, green and purple. The stalks vary in thickness; indicative of the age of the plant.  Asparagus is also a great source of dietary fibre, iron, and vitamin K.

To pick the best bunch of asparagus, look at the tips and the bottom the stalk. Ideally, you want the tip to be closed tightly and the bottom to look fresh. If the bottom looks dry and the top is starting to flower, it’s past its prime.

change up your weekday routine with a different salad

Lemony Orzo Salad With Asparagus & Shrimp

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

2 hours 20 mins

Total time

2 hours 40 mins

 

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup orzo
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces. If they are thin asparagus cut into 2 inch pieces.
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 green onions(white and light green parts only), chopped
• ¼ cup dill, minced
• ¼ cup basil, minced
• ¼ cup kalamata olives, chopped
• ⅛ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the minced garlic+lemon zest+shrimp in 2.5 tbsp of coconut oil, stirring frequently to keep from browning.
3. Season shrimp with kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper.
4. When shrimp are almost cooked through, remove from heat and cool.
5. Once water starts to boil,stir in the orzo and cook for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus pieces and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, about 4 minutes.
6. Drain into a mesh sieve (orzo will probably fall through a regular strainer) and rinse well in cold water.
7. Transfer well drained orzo & asparagus to large serving bowl.
8. Add the cooked lemon & garlic shrimp.
9. Add the juice of 1 lemon+green onion+olives+minced herbs. Toss together and refrigerate.
10. Ideally, refrigerate the salad for 2 hours to allow the flavors intensify.
11. Serve topped with a sprinkle of feta cheese & kalmata olives.
12. Season with salt & freshly ground pepper

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PERFECT FOR A DATE NIGHT

Halloumi is a salty cheese, with a distinctive texture, similar to Mozzarella. It was first made in Cyprus by the Greeks, later gaining popularity in the middle east. Traditional Halloumi is made with unpasteurized sheep and goats milk, then wrapped with mint leaves, to help with preservation. The cheese would then be stored in its own juices with salt-water and frozen for up-to one year.

This white cheese has a super high melting point, which makes it a great option for frying(saganaki) or grilling. You can find Halloumi  on the menu in many Greek, Lebanese and other middle eastern restaurants. A classic Halloumi pairing is with watermelon and mint. The sweetness of the watermelon contrasts the saltiness of the cheese, to make a perfectly coupled pairing.

TAKE A MINI-VACATION IN YOUR KITCHEN AND TRY SOMETHING NEW!

I was inspired to make this at home because lately I’ve been feeling the travel bug, but know I have 10 months to go before we leave on our honeymoon. Usually, we’re able to pick up and go more regularly, but we have a wedding and honeymoon to save for this year. Who knew being a grown up would be so freaking expensive!!!

Instead of traveling, I opted to make a special dinner for my fiancé that would remind him of our travels. Saganaki was one of Rez’s favorite things to order on our vacation so I decided to take my own spin on the dish and serve it with a strawberry salsa.

Strawberries are in season right now and can be found pretty much everywhere! I was able to snag some super sweet local berries from the farmers market and was crazy-happy with the results. Make sure to serve this with a slotted spoon so you don’t get too too much liquid on the plate.

WASH BERRIES RIGHT BEFORE USING THEM. THEY WILL GO BAD QUICKLY ONCE THEY’VE BEEN WASHED!

Rez & I recently did a little road trip and ended up at a delightful winery called Sundance Vineyards, in Solvang California. While tasting wines, we sampled olive oils and balsamic vinegars made on-site. They were incredible! We tasted this 18 year old strawberry balsamic vinegar that I immediately knew I had to have.  I really felt like just yelling MINE! I was such a fan, I started making everyone in the tasting room try it and next thing you know; we’ve all bought the vinegar to take home, for ourselves and as gifts. It was $20.00 for a 200ml bottle, so not the cheapest but it was so worth the splurge. I used it in the recipe instead of balsamic glaze and it was heavenly. I only break out this little gem for special occasions, like bringing me out of my travel blues.

DON’T WORRY, IT’S 100% ACCEPTABLE TO SAMPLE WHILE YOU COOK

Halloumi Saganaki with Strawberry Salsa

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

To make this recipe gluten free, either skip the dredging all-together or use white rice flour and half the amount of tapioca starch.

Author: Peony

Recipe type: Appetizer

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 package halloumi cheese (7 oz)
• 6 oz strawberries, hulled and diced
• ¼ cup red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp lime zest
• small handful fresh mint & cilantro
• balsamic glaze to drizzle
• flour for coating the halloumi

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients(except flour & halloumi) together in a large bowl, reserving a small amount of mint for garnish.
2. Cover and put the strawberry salsa in the fridge for a few minutes while you cook the halloumi.
3. Cut halloumi into ¼ inch slices, dip in water and dredge in flour if desired.
4. Heat enough oil in a small frying pan to cover base, fry cheese until slightly golden on each side.
5. Arrange halloumi cheese on a platter and top with strawberry salsa.
6. Finish the plate by drizzling with balsamic glaze and garnish with mint.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten free, either skip the dredging all-together or use white rice flour and half the amount of tapioca starch.

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