I read something recently that scoffed that burrata was “so over” because it has become ubiquitous. I can’t say I agree. Things generally become ubiquitous because they are good and people like them, and it can be a shame to see something lovely shunted to the sidelines to avoid being uncool. Another thing I have heard called overdone is whipped cheese displays. I don’t agree with this either. Whipping a delicious cheese into a creamy, spreadable delight is an easy and elegant appetizer and the array of things you can top it with is endless. And to be honest, strawberries with balsamic might seem a little dated too. But here I am, proudly and unreservedly sharing a recipe that the trend police might ticket for being out of fashion and encouraging you to give it a try. In fact, get on the whipped cheese train with me and try whipped feta, whipped goat cheese and whipped camembert, all with their own delicious toppers.
This particular recipe is an absolute lift from my whipped burrata with tomato caprese dish. I developed it to use a surfeit of seasonal berries to be a delicious spring appetizer. The creamy, rich burrata with the sweet-savory topping of juicy berries macerated in tangy balsamic vinegar with a hint of bite from black pepper and herbaceous basil is a beautiful display. A hint of brown sugar helps to bring out the juice and flavor from the berries. This is the time to use that really good, syrupy aged balsamic vinegar, not the thin stuff you throw in a salad dressing. The deep layers of the aged balsamic marry with the fresh strawberries in a most intriguing way. And when you cut the berries, remember how you will be serving them, so cut them into small manageable pieces.
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Ingredients
- For the Strawberries
1 pint strawberries (to yield 1 ½ cups chopped)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil (from around 6 leaves)
2 Tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 pinch of flaky salt
- For the Burrata
2 balls of burrata cheese, about ounces each, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Generous pinch flaky sea salt
Directions
- For the Strawberries
- Put the chopped basil, balsamic, brown sugar, pepper and salt in a small bowl and use a fork to combine until the sugar is dissolved. The mixture will be a little thick and syrupy.
- Hull the strawberries and cut into a small dice – remember that you will be scooping these onto sliced bread so make them small enough not to be difficult to eat. Put the berries in the bowl with the balsamic and use the fork to stir them and coat them all with the vinegar. Set aside for at least half an hour on the counter.
- For the Burrata
- Tear the burrata into pieces and drop in the bowl of a small food processor. Add the heavy cream and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth, creamy and spreadable. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl or a rimmed plate and spread into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Use the spoon to create a little well in the center of the burrata. This can be done several hours ahead and popped in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving so it becomes spreadable and soft again. Right before serving, lift the strawberries from the bowl with a fork and place in the well on top of the cheese. Drizzle with some of the balsamic liquid left in the bowl and a sprinkle of torn basil leaves.
- Serve with crispy bread slices or hearty crackers. Or if you are really industrious, homemade focaccia.
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