BURRATA WITH RED & YELLOW BABY BEETS & MIXED GREENS

May 21st, 2007

This is a beautiful dish to start a meal. It’s elegant, light and very delicious. Burrata is cow’s milk mozzarella that is extremely fresh that is stuffed with cream and more shreds of the same mozzarella. The burrata and mozzarella made in the southern region of Campania is the best but it’s very challenging to ship it to the US and make it through customs quickly enough before it perishes. It is best consumed the same day it’s made.

I recommend you visit your local Italian specialty deli/cheese shop and see what they have on hand. If you can find local burrata get as it will be more fresh than the Italian. If you cannot find burrata then you can substitute a good quality mozzarella di bufala. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area you can buy Gioia burrata cheese at the Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building. Or you can call the Gioia Cheese Company (626-444-6015) directly and have them ship to you anywhere in the country.

Ingredients (serves 6-8 as a light appetizer):
-1 pound best quality burrata or mozzarella di bufala cheese
-1 pound mixed greens washed and spun dry (I like to create a mix of 12 different kinds, including wild arugula for it’s slightly bitter and peppery quality)
-Coarse sea salt such as Fleur del sel

-Best quality extra virgin olive oil or olio nuovo
-Best quality champagne vinegar

-1 lemon

-2 tablespoons of finely chopped mint leaves

-2 pounds baby red and yellow beets

Pre-heat an oven to 425 degrees. Cut the tips off the top and bottom of the beets and remove the beet greens (save for another use as these can be cooked like spinach). Remove any excess fiber from the beets and wash in cold water. Place beets into a ceramic oven proof baking dish. Sprinkle a little more water on top and cover in foil. Place into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. If the beets are larger then the cooking time will be longer. Check the beets after 20 minutes. When you can pierce them easily with a sharp knife you will know they are done.

Remove the beets and let them cool on a plate. Using a paper towel remove the skin from each. Using a paring knife remove any additional fibers or blemishes. Slice the beets into 1⁄4 inch pieces and refrigerate and cover in plastic until ready to plate (I like to remove the beets from the refrigerator half an hour before plating).

To compose the dish
Remove the burrata from the refrigerator one hour before serving and allow to come to room temperature. Place all of the greens into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the coarse fleur de sel. Splash a bit of Champagne vinegar over the leaves (this will break down the salt). Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the leaves. Using your hands mix the greens well. Drizzle over a healthy amount of extra virgin olive oil. Mix again and taste. Adjust seasoning accordingly.

Place a small amount of the dressed greens on each plate. Slice the burrata from the center out into small wedges. Place a small amount onto the center of each plate on top of the greens. Everyone should get a bit of the mozarella curd (the harder outside covering) and the delicate mozzarella and cream inside. Next place a combination of red and yellow beets onto each plate around the cheese. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over the cheese. Drizzle a little bit of that beautiful extra virgin olive oil over just the burrata. This is where investing in a great early harvest oil makes all the difference in the world. To finish sprinkle a light dusting of mint around the outer leaves and edge of plate. Serve imediately and enjoy!

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