Burrata and Blood Orange Winter Party Salad

Meet my new winter recipe love affair. I'm calling it the panzanella salad of the frigid months. Or "Carlene Mourns Summer Tomatoes". This winter salad of sorts pulls in the glorious winter citrus that abounds, specifically blood oranges, and pairs it with crunchy kalamata olive bread, burrata cheese, honey, cardamom and a generous sprinkle of basil. Because fresh herbs are the only thing keeping my palate happy right now as I realize it's really winter produce season. 

This dish is perfect for a party. It's like you brought a cheese platter and morphed it into the only thing better than a cheese platter. Which is clearly two cheese platters. The combination of flavors and textures in this dish is outstanding if I do say so myself. You get creamy burrata paired with crunchy bread bites. You get sweet but acidic blood oranges and a more floral sweet honey. It works. It just so works. 

Burrata with Blood Orange Salad w/ kalamata olive toasts

/// Ingredients ///

• 3T olive oil 
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 ball burrata
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 1 T honey (I use Wedderspoon manuka honey)
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1-2 blood oranges
• 1 T basil, chopped
• 2 Kalamata Olive Rolls cubed

/// Directions /// Cube bread and toast. Go more toasted if this dish is going to sit out, go less if you're serving immediately. While the bread is toasting head olive oil and garlic on medium on the stove until the garlic is lightly browned and softened. Set aside to cool a bit. Cut blood oranges into rings. In a large bowl or platter, place a mix of blood oranges and toast. Place the burrata in the center. Drizzle with the olive oil garlic mix and then honey. Sprinkle on cardamom and sea salt. Top with fresh basil. 

See how I put it together in this YouTube video!