BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE
July 2023
Caprese salad: the delightful combination of tomatoes and mozzarella or burrata cheese, drizzled with olive oil and topped with fresh basil. It’s a classic pairing that sings only during summertime, when tomatoes are juicy and ripe, and basil is sweet and fragrant.
Lately, I’ve seen a lot of effort to add peaches to this summer soiree, and I was initially skeptical. But once I tried it, I immediately understood. The addition of a sweet fruit elevates the flavor of the tomatoes, and the contrast of sweet and salty is even more pronounced against the cheese.
Yet, I didn't love it. Don’t get me wrong… I have nothing against peaches, I just didn’t love them here. The perfectly ripe peach easily overpowers the subtle sweetness of the tomatoes. And then there was the peach fuzz. It was not the texture I was looking for.
I wanted it to work, so I looked instead to the peach’s cousin: the nectarine. “Aren’t they the same thing?” you might be asking, and yes, they’re quite similar in taste. Except, nectarines have a slight tanginess that peaches lack, which gives them a better chance of balancing the salad. And they lack the fuzz.
Nectarines have a slight tanginess that peaches lack, which gives them a better chance of balancing the salad. And they lack the fuzz.
Indeed, nectarines were exactly the right thing. For a salad with three key ingredients, it’s absolutely full of surprises. Here's everything you'll need:
Start by prepping the tomatoes and the nectarines. I like a variety of tomatoes here, which makes this recipe perfect for whatever you might find at the farmers market. You want to rely on the best tomatoes you can find. I used a combination of heirloom, beefsteak, grape and cherry tomatoes.
There’s no need to be uniform, so you can slice the large tomatoes, then quarter around the core to not leave any delicious tomato behind. You can also slice or quarter the nectarines.
What is burrata? Burrata is a fresh mozzarella cheese filled with a mixture of loose mozzarella curd and cream. You’ll find it in stores in the cheese case, likely near the fresh mozzarella. It’s packaged in a container filled with a brine or, sometimes, whey. Before serving, I like to scoop it out of the brine and let it rest on a plate. Inevitably, some of that brine will get into the burrata, and resting gives it a chance to drain just a bit. To serve, break open the top with a spoon or knife to expose the creamy inside.
Dress the tomatoes generously with salt and olive oil, then arrange them on a platter. I started with the tomatoes, followed with the nectarines, then scooped the burrata cheese onto the platter and filled in with any ingredients I had left.
Right before serving, dress the burrata with salt and olive oil, and drizzle the entire platter with good balsamic vinegar (my favorite is from Saratoga Olive Oil) and fresh basil. Some good, crusty bread and a few slices of prosciutto cheese would be an excellent accompaniment.
In these few short weeks when all the ingredients are at their peak and you can’t bear to turn on the oven, let this be the meal that’s on repeat.
Tomato, Nectarine and Burrata Salad
Season: Summer
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
2 large heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes
10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
3 nectarines
10 ounces burrata cheese
¼ cup basil packed, or a small handful
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
PREPARATION
Slice and quarter the heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes and halve the cherry tomatoes. There’s no need to be uniform, just use up all the best parts of the tomato. Then slice or quarter the nectarines.
Dress the tomatoes and nectarines generously with olive oil and salt, then arrange them on a platter. Break the burrata to expose the inside curd and spoon it onto the platter. Season the burrata with salt and olive oil.
Drizzle a few drops of good balsamic vinegar over the platter, then finish with fresh basil.
Comments