12.16.2010

A Simple Holiday Salad: Heirloom Tomatoes and Burrata Cheese


Our Garden Club had their annual Christmas party last weekend. We each bring something and they buy a filet of beef at the market. Everyone prefers to bring appetizers and desserts (of course), so I thought I'd choose to bring a salad. I noticed someone else was doing tossed so I wanted to think up something different.

My daughter Tracy said: why not serve burrata cheese and some heirloom tomatoes, simply tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette? A super idea and I had just had something similar at Michael's in Miami Beach during the Art Basel Miami show the first week of December. (The second biggest contemporary art show in the world; the biggest being the one in Basel, Switzerland in June.) Tracy had a booth in the show so I was back and forth quite a bit that week. AND she also had the salad at Michael's, hence the idea.

Now, I'm sure you know all about burrata, but in case you don't: it's a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. The outside is firm like mozzarella and the inside, which contains both mozzarella and cream, is very soft. It's served at room temperature. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian and that is the literal truth: you cut into it and it's like butter inside! Michael's served it whole in the center of a plate with the heirloom tomatoes all around it. It made such a pretty presentation and then I thought I'd scatter some basil around to complete the Christmas colors.

I'm trying to keep this nice and easy as we're all so busy this week. So no recipe here today, just make a simple vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar (I added a touch of fresh garlic), toss the tomatoes in it and sprinkle a little olive oil on the cheese. Easy as can be, lovely and light, and burrata is divine.

Heirloom Tomatoes and Burrata Cheese with Balsamic Vinaigrette


39 comments:

  1. I haven't heard of the cheese but will certainly look for it next time I'm at Fox and Obel or Whole Foods. Our WF has a wonderful cheese section. As to the heirloom tomatoes, I can only hope to find some on occasion. We love them all summer from a local farmer but, alas, the growing season is long over. It's not the snow and ice that make me want to be in Florida--it's the fresh vegetables.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. Dear Barbara,
    Now I know what you meant the other day when you talked about our daughters..How proud you must be of your Tracy !!! I think my Camila will end up being an artist of some kind!
    I take the opportunity to thank you enormously for all your support and enthusiasm. Pity you live so far away..You would be a lovely friend to share tea with me!!

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  3. Beautiful salad. I soooo love the look of heirloom tomatoes. They are very hard to find in the UK outside of london. THis summer I am determined to try and grow my own.
    *kisses* HH

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  4. What a refreshing simple meal

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  5. This simple dish looks elegant. I have never heard of this cheese but will look for it when I go to the cheese shop. Yummy!!

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  6. Oh, my favorite kind of salad! It's reminds me of summer. I'll have to look for burrata, I've never had it.

    Your temperature widget is making me very jealous, right now.

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  7. That looks positively heavenly, Barbara! :-) Love the sounds of the burrata and will have to track some down soon. :-)

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  8. It's an easy recipe but a good one. What a great choice for a potluck!

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  9. Burrata is fabulous, so creamy, so good. Perfect with the tomatoes! It looks so good!

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  10. Burrata is a great cheese... your club must have been soooo pleased with you. Sometimes simple is best if you can find great tomatoes!

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  11. Fabulous! I love Burrata. I'll have to wait for the summer in order to make this salad.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  12. Barbara I love this type of salad, look really delicious! gloria

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  13. The salad sounds great. I'm sure everyone in that party loves it. Thanks to your daughter for this. ^_^ Hope you're having a fabulous day.
    Blessings, Kristy

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  14. Hi Barbara,

    This salad looks wonderful and I love anything with tomatoes.
    This would have been a great to take along to your Garden Club Christmas party.
    Enjoy the Festive Season.

    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  15. Ymmm...I LOVE mozzerella, but have yet to try burrata. I sounds delicious.

    - The Tablescaper

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  16. Barbara - I would love to try the burrata and will look for it in stores. This salad is a thing of beauty!

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  17. Barbara this makes a beautiful salad! I have never had burrata before, but I'm thinkin' I need to change that real soon.
    I loved the post of all of your ornaments. I loved seeing all the ones you just couldn't live without!
    hugs

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  18. This is one of my all time favorite combos. It's freshness is even more appealing around the holidays as a break from all the rich and sweet foods that surround us!

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  19. Barbara, this is one gorgeous salad. I adore heirloom tomatoes and very few things in life are better than tomatoes combined with cheese. SImple and totally satisfying.

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  20. ur garden club party sounds fun...i love the gift on ur logo , so Christmacy and i feel like its jus for me:-)
    And i would love to be there too , to say hullo to u and enjoy what deliciousness u brought along!!
    Oh soo good!
    I barely know any cheese and not Burrata either , but it sounds good , and i know how good urs and ur daughters choice is !
    WOnderful with heirloom toms for sure!

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  21. i actually haven't ever heard of burruta, how cool! this looks like a fantastic salad!

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  22. I haven't heard of this cheese but hey, there is a first time for everything. This dish is simple but tasty.

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  23. Burrata is one of my most favorite things on the planet. Your salad gets it just right---letting the perfect cheese and gorgeous tomatoes shine through.

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  24. I love the simplicity of this dish. The cheese will have to be special order but the end result looks so delicious that I don't mind waiting to try it with the correct ingredients. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  25. What I wouldn't give for some good, fresh tomatoes right now! We have only the store variety now. Sigh~
    But this is a great simple salad idea for next summer!

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  26. Simple, yet festive :)

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  27. Burrata sounds festive! I love the combo, can eat it on a daily basis and not tire of it!

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  28. Sometimes daughters have the most wonderful suggestions. Simple is always best. I have never heard of this cheese, and know we do not have it anywhere in our city yet, as I am a cheese aficionado - so really appreciate your description of it. It sounds divine... and a must for me to try. I will let our local Italian store know, and they almost always bring in requests. Sometimes it takes a while... but, I am sure this taste and texture experience would be worth it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it as Bocconcini and tomatoes with oil and salt is about my favourite combination in the world.
    :)
    Valerie

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  29. Lovely Christmassy colours and also the Italian flag colours as well :) I sure can use quick and easy at this time, plus our tiny garden has just started producing tomatoes so this is just perfect, going to make some for lunch tomorrow, and sub baby bocconcini if I can't get the burrata. Thanks for the inspiration Barbara!

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  30. I love burrata--unfortunately though, good tomatoes in December are harder to come by in France

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  31. Oh my Barbara! This looks delicious and heirloom tomatoes and burrata are two of my favourite things ever! :D

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  32. mmm...so fresh...and perhaps brought a bit of a taste of a warmer season as well...

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  33. I'm in love with the thought of this salad! I will be on the lookout for some perfect heirloom tomatoes this week - the thought of the juice of the tomatoes with the dressing and THAT cheese is making my mouth water! Loved hearing about your daughter too!

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  34. tis the season for burrata. brrr-ata. get it? ha ha. ha. ho ho. hee. :)

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  35. wow looks great i want some of this cheese :-)

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  36. Decent tomatoes are scarce right now, but if I can find some this would be a wonderful salad for Christmas dinner. It would be a nice balance to all the rich dishes that make their way to the table.

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  37. My fave cheese ever! It's so decadent that you feel a bit sinful whenever you eat it. ;)

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  38. Burrata is such a treat--I don't find it often, but love its special inner creaminess. a simply divine dish!

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