Pumpkin and Burrata Salad

Its no secret that I am burrata obsessed. I give you this delicious wintery lunch. The sweet pumpkin with the nutty pine nuts and delicious soft burrata added crunchy peppery rocket. So good. Enjoy

Ingredients

1/2 Kent pumpkin, sliced into wedges

2 cups fresh rocket leaves

1 ball of burrata per person

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra to serve

1/4 cup pine nuts

Smoked sea salt flakes and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange pumpkin wedges on lined baking tray. Whisk the oil and maple syrup together in a bowl and pour over the pumpkin turning to make sure to cover both sides. Bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes turning half way through. When there is 10 minutes left add 1 cup of rocket leaves to the baking tray with the pumpkin and roast together. The rocket leaves will become a delicious crispy garnish. At 2 minutes left, add your pine nuts to the roasting tray and move around with a spoon when you have one minute remaining to evenly roast.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 – 10 minutes. Arrange the pumpkin in serving plates with burrata and top with the roasted and fresh rocket as well as the pine nuts. Season with smoked sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy

Three Cheese Puffs with Crispy Kale

Ummm, yum! This is really easy to make. Sharp Parmesan with soft mozzarella and delicious burrata and add lemon and crispy roasted kale to this. Wow… Delicious!

Ingredients

2 store bought sheets puff pasty

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

4 cups chopped fresh kale

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

zest of 1 medium lemon

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 ball of burrata cheese

Fresh lemon wedges to serve

Cracked black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a small pot and add the garlic. Fry in the oil for 1 – 2 min or until just brown then transfer garlic and oil to a bowl to cool. Line a baking tray with baking paper. The puff pastry sheets I use are square. I cut off roughly 1/4 from each sheet and reserve that in freezer for another meal leaving about a 3/4 sheet per person/serving. Place your puff pastry on the lined baking tray. Once the garlic and oil has cooled down, brush the pastry with the garlic oil. Next top with some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, lemon zest and add some of the crispy fried garlic. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry starts to puff and brown a little and the cheese has melted.

While this is baking mix your kale and remaining oil in a bowl and season with salt. After 10 minutes remove your puff pastry from the oven and top with the kale. Put back in the oven and bake for a further 7-8 minuted or until the kale is crispy. Remove from oven and top with some freshly squeezed lemon juice and cracked black pepper. Serve hot with the burrata cheese. YUM! Enjoy!

Burrata, Rockmelon and Prosciutto Salad

A quick salad for a busy weekday lunch or a delicious fresh salad to pair with a glass of bubbly on a hot summers weekend. So delicious and so easy to make. This serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a starter.

Ingredients

1 x Burrata ball

100g prosciutto

1/2 rockmelon thinly sliced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for crispy bread

1 tbsp champagne vinegar

1/4 tsp honey

pinch of chilli flakes

pinch of sea salt flakes

pinch of black pepper

small basil and mint leaves to serve

1 – 2 Ciabatta rolls, sliced

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Arrange the sliced bread on a oven tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt. Bake in the oven until crispy. About 10 minutes. Do keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

In a small bowl whisk together the oil, honey, vinegar, salt, black pepper and chilli flakes. Set aside. Arrange the burrata, prosciutto and melon on a serving dish. Scatter with the basil and mint leaves and drizzle with the dressing made earlier. Serve with the warm crispy bread. Enjoy!

Burrata & Broccolini Pasta with Burnt Lemon Butter

So delicious and fresh. Burrata is just such a great ingredient to use and as you can see I do like to use it in many different ways. This was delicious and worked really well especially on a cool rainy day, having a warm pasta behind a fresh burrata really worked. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups large spiral pasta

2 cups broccolini, cut into thirds

1 cup asparagus, cut into thirds

70g butter

juice of half a lemon

salt and black pepper

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. You will now work in batches. Do not strain the water off! Before starting to cook the veggies prepare a large bowl with water and ice on the side.

First we start by boiling the brocollini for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath. Now boil the asparagus for 1-2 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath with the brocollini. In the same water, boil you pasta as per packet instructions. My pasta needed 10 minutes which is perfect for starting to work on the burnt butter.

While the pasta is boiling heat the butter in a large pan and allow the butter to start to brown. Once it has reached your desired brown tint turn off the heat and add the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Drain the broccolini and asparagus.

Once the pasta has cooked drain and add to the pan with the burnt butter. Turn the heat back on, add the veggies and allow to cook in the butter for a couple of minutes until warm and the burnt butter is well incorporated throughout all your ingredients. Serve with the fresh burrata and some black pepper. Enjoy

Burrata Puffs

What a great light lunch. A few steps yes but easy to prep and looks beautiful and fresh. Had some Sauvignon Blanc with it. Wow, what a great pairing. Enjoy!

This recipe makes 2 servings of each.

Ingredients – MAIN

2 sheets puff pastry

1 ball of burrata cheese

1 egg

Ingredients – Tomato and Balsamic

1 tbsp balsamic pearls

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh basil leaves

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Mix the sliced cherry tomatoes, balsamic pearls, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Ingredients – Cucumber and Dill

1/4 of a telegraphic cucumber, thinly sliced

1 tsp chopped dill

1 tsp chopped chives

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

pinch of smoked sea salt

more fresh dill to serve

Method

Mix all the above together in a small bowl and set aside to pickle.

Ingredients – Nectarine & Jalapeno

1 nectarine, thinly sliced

1/4 jalapeno, thinly sliced

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp champagne vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

fresh mint leaves to serve

Method

Whisk together the pepper, vinegar, honey and oil. Set aside and marinate the jalapeno and nectarine in the mixture for at least 15 minutes.

Ingredients – Fig, Honey & Prosciutto

1 large fig, sliced

2 strips of prosciutto

honey and black pepper to serve

Method MAIN

Pre heat the oven to 200C fan forced. Cut the puff pastry into rectangles and arrange on a oven tray lined with baking paper. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush over the pastry. Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 min or until they are puffed and golden brown.

Drain the pickling liquids from the cucumber and nectarine and drain the oil from the tomatoes. Now its time to start building. Arrange the various different topping on the puffs and top all with a bit of torn burrata. Drizzle the fig pastry with honey and a bit of cracked black pepper. Finish off the cucumber one with some fresh dill and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add fresh mint on top of the nectarine puff and place some of those beautiful balsamic pearls on top of the tomato puff. So delicious. Enjoy!

Burrata with Balsamic Honey Figs, Prosciutto and Crunchy Croutons

This came about after we just had no idea what to have for dinner. We had a bunch of salad ingredients in the fridge. Decided to go with this combination. This worked so so well and was so delicious. Quick to make. A must try! Yum

Ingredients

1 fresh burrata

1 cup rocket leaves

Thinly sliced bread

200g prosciutto

4 figs, quartered

3 tbsp salted butter

1.5 tbsp honey

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Sea salt flakes and black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and arrange the bread on top. Drizzle with oil and season with some flakes salt. Bake in the oven until golden and crispy. Remove and set aside.

Melt the butter in a pan, add the honey and balsamic. Stir and once bubbly add the figs. Do not touch that liquid, you will turn your finger into a candied apple. Cook until the figs are soft and then set aside to cool before serving.

Once the figs have cooled down arrange all the ingredients on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy