July 1st usually marks the start of summer and if that isn't enough, it's also Canada Day. Every year I try and keep the appetizers and treats to a red and white motif, in honour of the colours in the Canadian flag.
Instead of a barbecue, we've decided to have a backyard picnic with appetizers and desserts. The weather has been so lovely that I think it will be perfect!
In thinking of picnic food, even if it is only so far as the back yard, I wanted to think of portability and ease of eating off of a plate on your lap.
I found a variation of this salad/appetizer while scrolling through Pinterest. It is amazing the creativity and inspiration that one can find on there. Right away, I was struck with how it looks like the Canadian flag. Wouldn't it be cute with a maple leaf cut out of a bell pepper to rest on top of the burrata?
This is such an easy salad to make, especially when the tomatoes are in season, so fresh and sweet tasting! I chose to use burrata, which is definitely not a cheap cheese in Canada. But it is amazing. It is definitely worth the splurge every once in a while. It is so soft and creamy and the drizzles blend perfectly into the marinated tomatoes. You can easily substitute burrata with a soft buffalo mozzarella or even make the middle section of the flag out of small cocktail sized bocconcini balls. Any of these options would be great!
I hope you enjoy your celebrations, whether it's July 1st or the 4th - have fun and eat well!
Enjoy,
Krista
Tomato and Burrata Salad
Ingredients
2 pints of fresh grape tomatoes (I kept mine whole, as they were so tiny, otherwise, cut them into halves or quarters)
1 burrata cheese ball
salt & pepper
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (I used a Spanish EVOO - make sure to use the good stuff here, as the flavour will be the highlight of the dish)
10 basil leaves, rolled and chopped into a chiffonade (or ribbons) - don't do this too far in advance, as the basil will brown
*French baguette, sliced to accompany the salad
Method
A half hour before you plan to serve the salad, mix the tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Allow to marinate on counter.
When ready to serve, lay tomatoes onto a rectangular platter, placing them on the right and left sides of the plate. If you are not re-creating the Canadian flag, then place tomatoes onto a plate in any order. Drizzle all remaining olive oil and juices from the bowl over the top of the tomatoes. Place the burrata in the middle of the tomatoes and top with basil chiffonade.
Add extra salt and pepper by taste to finish (I finished with a bit of himalayan pink salt).
Serve as a salad or place on top of a sliced baguette for an appetizer.
Happy Canada Day!
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