Burrata, Balsamic & Basil Summer Salad

Nothing screams summer like this Italian inspired lunch with the 4 B’s:

1. Burrata Cheese

2. Balsamic Vinegar

3. Basil (Fresh, of course)

4. Baby Spinach

Then it turns into a full meal with some help from baby, sweet cherry tomatoes and green, nutty olive; Finished with a drizzle of fruity olive oil.

Perfect for a BBQ, a lazy dinner or al-fresco dining, this recipe is definitely a must try!

It all begins with the Burrata and luckily this can be available from your local Supermarket most of the time or perhaps dependant on your preferred supermarket.

Burrata is essentially a soft, cow’s milk cheese. Looking at it, it resembles a giant ball of mozzarella, but as if that wasn’t good enough, as soon as it is cut open, it has a creamy, soft cheese surprise inside; all ready to be scooped up on some warm garlic ciabatta.

I used good quality, aged Balsamic vinegar and a fresh, fruity extra virgin olive oil. It’s dishes like these where it is important not to skimp on high quality, fresh ingredients, especially in a salad.

Sometimes the greatest dishes involve no cooking involved, this one happens to be just a case of assembling some ingredients:

• Baby Spinach

• Balsamic Vinegar

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Burrata Cheese (A ball of Mozzarella will also work with this)

• Fresh Basil

• Cherry Tomatoes (Or perhaps an array of Heirloom Tomatoes)

• Green Olives (Fresh from the Deli counter is the best to use for this recipe, however a jar of Green Olives will also work just as well)

It should be known that when I have made this recipe in the past, there are a few variations that have worked really well and here they are:

• Green Pesto - This is completely optional, I did not use it on this particular occasion, but if you happen to get your hands on some good quality pesto, you should definitely dollop a tablespoon on top of your salad. Pistachio Pesto also works great with this recipe.s

• Rocket Leaves or Fresh Watercress - Opting for a different salad leaf can totally change up the flavour and Rocket or Watercress adds a spicy, peppery dimension to the whole dish!

• Garlic flavoured Extra Virgin Oil – You can either buy this oil already infused with garlic or perhaps opt for slowly roasting your own garlic (A whole bulb cut in half and wrapped in foil) and adding this to the salad.

• Oregano

– Whilst Basil works well and is the obvious choice, you could potentially switch it up with a small pinch of Oregano

• Pine Nuts – A light showering of toasted Pine Nuts or any chopped nuts, such as Pistachios or Cashew nuts could really change up this dish. The contrast between the creamy textured Burrata and the crunchy toasted nuts is a great way to take the dish to a whole other level!

If you made this salad, let me know what you thought. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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