This easy to make burrata salad is packed with contrasting flavours and textures and is simple enough for a weekday lunch, or impressive enough for a dinner party.
Great food really doesn’t have to be fiddly or take an age to prepare. Like many people I love a classical tasting menu with clever, complex, intricately presented dishes that I would never attempt at home – I’m not that sort of cook, and my food is generally fast to prepare and focusses on big flavours, textures and celebrates vegetables.
Burrata is one of my favourite ingredients, an Italian cheese made of a mozzarella skin filled with a soft buttery creamy mixture of stracciatella (a shredded curd cheese) and cream. When you cut into a fresh burrata the delicious creamy interior bursts out and they are a delight to eat. Burrata are best fresher than fresh, ideally eaten within a couple days of its being made, if you cannot find a fresh one use mozzarella instead for this recipe.
This burrata salad is packed with contrasting fresh flavours, sweet, sharp, salty and bitter from a mixture of the honey, lemon and caper dressing and the radicchio. Griddling the vegetables adds a subtle note of smokiness which pairs so well with the creamy cheese. The contrast of the pristine white burrata sitting on the bed of purple and green vegetables will make the most haphazard of presentation look professional – pile it up and let everyone dive in.
I used Comvita Manuka honey; if you haven’t come across manuka honey before, it’s honey made with blossom from the manuka tree in New Zealand. It’s a thick, viscous and dark honey, with earthy flavours. The honey contains Leptosperin, DHA and Methylglyoxal; certified manuka honey is tested for the presence of these three compounds. The honey is said to have antibacterial properties; as a premium product, it’s worth checking the provenance of manuka honey, and only buying that which is certified by the UMFHA – Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association in New Zealand. Comvita have been producing world-renowned UMF® certified Manuka honey since 1974 in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty.
The honey has a deep rich flavour and is also beautifully thick, making it the perfect ingredient to use in a dressing to showcase a simple salad.
Radicchio, Asparagus & Burrata Salad with a Lemon, Caper & Manuka Honey Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 radicchio
- 10 spears asparagus
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp Manuka honey
- 1/4 lemon (juiced & zest)
- 1 tsp basil leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 burrata
Instructions
- Cut the radicchio into wedges; keep the core so that they hold their shape.
- Brush the vegetables and the griddle with some olive oil, and cook the radicchio until soft, turning over halfway through. Griddle the asparagus at the smae time.
- Rinse the capers in running water, and briefly cook on the griddle until they are lightly charred.
- Whisk together Manuka honey, remaining olive oil, lemon juice & zest, season and add the capers.
- Cut open the burrata and place on the cooked, still warm, vegetables and drizzle the dressing over and sprinkle the basil over the top.
Recipe for Radicchio, Asparagus & Burrata Salad with a Lemon, Caper & Manuka Honey Dressing commissioned by Comvita. All opinions our own.
Brandi Crawford
This looks amazing! I hadn’t heard of Manuka Honey. Definitely looks like something I need to try!
Helen
The Manuka Honey is certainly worth trying as the quality and flavour are much better.
Christine
Manuka honey really does make all the difference. This looks really good!
Helen
The honey has a wonderful consistancy and has a superior flavour, very much worth it.
Kim @ Three Olives Branch
I LOVE burrata, this looks amazing! And that Manuka honey dressing combo sounds fantastic!
Helen
It’s a lovely dish, that I really enjoyed making (and eating).
Emily @ The Edible Coast
Yum! I have fresh asparagus popping up that would be great in this!
Helen
How wonderful to have freshly picked asparagus to enjoy.
Platter Talk
What a creative explosion of fresh flavors. I haven’t run across Manuka honey but have plenty of regular honey to use! This will make a beautiful Sunday breakfast!
Helen
Thanks Dan, I was feeling especially pleased with this one.
Laura dove
Oh this looks delicious! I will be saving this to try!!
Helen
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Laura.
Newcastle Family Life
This looks really creative, beautiful presentation too x
Helen
Thank you, it was a pleasure to make.
Lauretta @ Home and Horizon
This dish is ideal for me – the best bit is that it hardly takes any time at all.
Helen
Great to be able to make easy no fuss food with good flavour.
Kara
I have still not tried Manuka honey. Will add it to my shopping list
Helen
It is worth buying, as the consistancy and flavour are far better, particularly for cooking purposes.