You are going to love this salad! It’s great as a starter for a special occasion or as the highlight of a light lunch. You can find herb salad mix at many grocery stores or farmers markets or use whatever greens you have on hand. If you want to make your own herb mix just add a little chopped dill, mint, chives, cilantro and/or italian parsley to your greens. If you can’t find tomatoes on the vine any smallish tomato will do. Cherry, campari or plum tomatoes will work well. If you can’t find a nice Burrata use fresh mozzarella instead. If you already have roasted tomatoes from my last post skip the first 2 ingredients and skip the first paragraph. Phew,  Now that you know all your options, you’re ready…

Ingredients:

2 or 3 Tomatoes on the vine per person
Garlic cloves
3/4 to 1 cup Mixed Herb Salad per person
3 oz. Burrata Cheese per person
Pesto
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Good Balsamic Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Medium to Coarse Black Pepper

Edible Flowers for garnish

Preheat oven to 400*
Place tomatoes in a baking dish. Pour olive oil into your hand and gently coat tomatoes with oil so they stay attached to the vine. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Cut a few peeled garlic cloves in half and place on top of tomatoes. Roast in oven till garlic begins to brown and tomatoes start to wrinkle or burst, about 40 minutes to 1 hour depending on their size. Use kitchen scissors to cut the tomato vine if needed so there are 2 or 3 tomatoes attached to each piece.

Make dressing with a ratio on 3 Tbsp olive oil to 1.5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar to 1 heaping teaspoon of pesto. Tear the petals of a few flowers and add to the greens for color. Sprinkle salad with salt and black pepper, add dressing and toss.

Place a large egg size mound of burrata on half of a salad plate. Top with a couple of tomatoes. Drizzle with a little dressing and sprinkle with a bit of fresh torn basil. Place a mound of greens on the other half of the plate and garnish with an edible flower.

Enjoy! Bon appetit!

Burrata, featured, Tomato