Burrata mozzarella and heirloom tomato salad recipe

July 13, 8:27 AMDC Food ExaminerBenjamin Cadmus

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Typically, its difficult to find a good, fresh burrata mozzarella in DC. Sometimes you can find it at The Italian Store if you get there early enough during the day and sometimes Wegman's carries it, but for the most, I find myself stuck with plain bufala. This weekend though, I found out that certain locations of Giant are now carrying fresh burrata right in the gourmet cheese section. To my delight, I grabbed 4 balls of it to try the taste and see how it is. Despite a slight difference in consistency from the burrata I typically get at The Italian Store, this burrata was up there in taste and texture. This recipe is a great way for you to also try this burrata and impress your special someone with a delicious summer salad.

Burrata mozzarella and heirloom tomato salad

Ingredients:

• 4 balls burrata mozzarella (cut into fourths)
• 6 assorted heirloom tomatoes (cut into both large oblique chunks and thin circles)
• 2 bunches baby arugula
• 1.5 ounces white balsamic vinegar
• 3 ounces ranieri olive oil (or any HIGH-QUALITY olive oil you can find)
• sea salt (to taste)
• freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Starting with the thin circles of heirloom tomatoes you have sliced, lay four slices flat in the center of each plate, overlapping the them a bit. Then, take a small handful of your baby arugula and throw it down on top of these, followed by each 1/4 piece of burrata, which will go in the center of each tomoto slice, wedge side up. Next, take your large, oblique chunks of heirloom tomatoes and place them in the center, tiered over each other, alternating colors and throwing in a few pieces of  baby arugula here and there for color. Drizzle some of your white balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes and mozzarella as well as some of your olive oil. Then, top off with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

This recipe is really an easy way to showcase summer's beautiful heirloom tomatoes and a variety of mozzarella which is typically sold out at most places you go, from specialty markets to Two Amy's as a nightly special. To really make this dish stand out, stop by your local Total Wine & More and pick up a bottle of 2001 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale. This Chianti is very deep and slightly dry but its light cherry notes make it one of my favorite bottles of Chianti.