Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

Revealing the menu to guests can be a double edged sword. Sharing all or parts of the menu can sometimes elicit a kind of pre-dinner excitement similar to and often associated with the opening a much anticipated gift. However, it becomes particularly dicey when due to time, available ingredients, or unanticipated disasters, the shared menu undergoes a significant post-disclosure change. The unintentional 'bait and switch' can elicit a multitude of reactions. 'What do you mean we aren't having the....? 'You are kidding, right?' 'I was so looking forward to eating your...' After everyone has had time to process the menu change you hope at least one person will ultimately vindicate you and say something like 'I am sure whatever you made will be delicious.' While I can be a little cagey on what the exact menu will be (to ensure there is no disappointment), I have also been known to be much too forthcoming (leaving no element of surprise). This past weekend I had skewed to full disclosure and then made a significant change to the main course after waking up to find my usual over achiever self was no where in sight. 

I was hoping, the fingers and toes kind of hoping, the smoked salmon spread, the grilled peach and burrata salad, and blueberry crisp with vanilla ice cream would be more than enough to compensate for replacing the much anticipated Lobster Cobb Salad with pizza. And we aren't talking homemade pizza here.

The Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad would be a 'first' time served dish. Considering all of its' elements I was more than confident it would get rave reviews. Even from those who claim they aren't necessary big fans of the peach.

If you have never tasted the super creamy, buttery richness of burrata, a mixture of mozzarella and cream rolled into a ball, you absolutely must experience its' utter deliciousness. Sooner rather than later as nothing else compares to its' taste, flavor or texture. My first instant nirvana bite of burrata was at A Mano, a now unfortunately closed Italian restaurant in New Orleans. Served over a platter of caponata, everyone at the table was politely and not so politely fighting to get ever last bit of it onto their plates. With this fresh Italian cheese becoming more readily available in grocery stores, you and I now have the same access to this luxurious handcrafted cheese as restaurant chefs.

There may be no better way to celebrate the arrival of the peach season than this Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad.

What roasting does to bring out the sweetness and slightly alter, in the best of ways, the flavor of vegetables, grilling does the same thing for fruit. Especially peaches. Find large, almost ripe, but not too soft yellow flesh peaches for this salad. If too ripe, they will be difficult to quarter as well as disintegrate when grilled. Using extra-virgin olive oil to season the grill pan, the peach quarters are cooked for approximately 1-2 minutes on each exposed flesh side of the peach. Using the thinest spatula you have, the grilled peaches are carefully removed ensuring the charred grill marks remain. 

Most of the dressings for grilled peach and burrata salads call for the use of balsamic vinegar (the red stuff). But having recently used the white balsamic vinegar in the dressing for the Orecchiette Caprese Salad, I thought it would compliment the fruit perfectly. If everyone taking two helpings of this salad was any indication, I would have to say the white balsamic vinegar was a great choice.

There will be enough dressing to lightly dress the greens, drizzle over the peaches and burrata cheese, and serve on the side. Because my grocery store was out of baby arugula (my first greens choice for this salad), I used a spring greens mix. Baby spinach, baby romaine or any mixture of tender greens would work.

Over a platter lined with the lightly dressed greens, the grilled peaches and torn pieces of the burrata are arranged. Drizzle some of the remaining dressing over the peaches and burrata, lightly season with flaky sea salt and black pepper and your salad is done. If there was ever a case to be made for the virtues of simplicity the Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad would be a perfect exemplar.

In the event you commit the almost unforgivable crime of a changing out the menu you foolishly revealed in the first place, this Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad will give you more than a pass. It did for me. Although at some point in the near future I need to make the Lobster Cobb Salad. For the simple reasons I like to keep my promises and don't think you should keep anyone, especially people you call your friends, waiting indefinitely.

If in the week ahead you are planning a brunch or a dinner, make this salad. If in the week ahead you weren't planning a brunch or dinner, change your plans and make this salad. Peach season won't be here forever. And I guarantee, you will want to make this salad more than once before it ends. I think I just discovered my summer signature salad.

Recipe

Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (recommend Maille)

Flaked sea salt and black pepper

Grilled Peaches and Salad

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 large yellow-flesh peaches, near ripeness but not too soft, quartered and stoned

8 ounce ball of burrata (or two 4 1/2 ounce balls), drained and torn into chunks

3 cups spring greens, arugula or baby romaine 

Flaked sea salt and black pepper

Directions

Dressing

1. Lightly whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and mustard. Season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Grilled Peaches and Salad Assembly

1. Lightly grease a griddle pan with 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Turn heat to high to get pan evenly hot.

2. Place peach quarters cut-side down and cook for 1-2 minutes per exposed side (Note: Do not cook on skin side.) 

3. Gently life up with a thin spatula so as not to leave charred grilled marks on pan and place on a dish. (Note: Charring adds to the flavor.)

4. In a large bowl, very lightly dress the greens using almost half of the dressing. Be careful to not over dress the greens.

5. Distribute greens on a large platter.

6. Arrange grilled peaches and pieces of burrata on top of the greens.

7. Lightly drizzle some of the remaining dressing over the peaches and burrata. Lightly season with flaky sea salt and pepper.

8. Serve immediately. Serve any remaining dressing on the side.

Orecchiette Caprese Salad

Based on the last several blog posts one could easily surmise I either have an insatiable sweet tooth or the only foods in my house are eggs, butter, sugar, flour, cream and chocolate. Your first assumption would be correct. With regard to the second inference, let's just say there is probably a disproportionate number of baking ingredients occupying the space in the refrigerator and cabinets. If, for some reason we suddenly found ourselves living in a post-apoloptic world tomorrow, my best chance for survival would be to figure out a way to turn all of these ingredients into some sort of currency. One does not need to go back as far back as far as the 16h century to be reminded of the power and monetary value chocolate had for the Aztecs and Mayans. During the Revolutionary War chocolate was such a prized commodity, it was included in soldier's rations in lieu of wages. If history does indeed have a way of repeating itself, my chocolate inventory might come in handy.

But one cannot live on sweets and confections alone (at least in the long term). Going to the farmer's market to buy 'fresh, seasonal' ingredients is almost as dangerous as going to Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale (which I have thus far managed to keep from going to). There is an irresistible quality to the fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs all so artfully arranged on tables. And then there are the fresh cheeses, breads, eggs, and smoked fish, all conspiring and competing for my attention as well as severely testing my ability to have at least a fair amount of self-control. Upon seeing some garlic scapes in one of the booths, I immediately knew how the mid-week excursion to the farmer's market was going to turn out. Restraint was definitely not going to be the word of the day.

One farmer's market purchase inspires another, then another.The seasonal garlic scapes led to the purchases of fresh basil and baby heirloom tomatoes giving me three of the fresh ingredients needed to make an Orecchiette Caprese Salad. Weeks back when I was sorting through the boxes of food magazines, I committed the sacrilegious crime of tearing out pages containing recipes I wanted to make.  There were mixed reviews on the warm version of this salad, but thought orecchiette pasta and white balsamic vinegar were refreshing modifications to the classic caprese salad.

Choose either baby heirloom tomatoes or grape tomatoes for this salad. Think colorful.

The orecchiette 'little ear' pasta is cooked to a point slightly past al dente but well before it turns too soft.  I am not aware of the technical culinary term for this but you know it when you taste it. 

If you are lucky enough to find the lime-green garlic scapes at your farmer's market or grocery store, buy them. The curlicued shoots have a mild garlicky goodness, a slight sweetness, and asparagus-like texture. But if you can't find them or they are out of season, use garlic chives instead. Fresh basil adds a flavor dimension to this salad that no other herb can. Seriously, don't even think of using anything else. There is no substitute for fresh basil.

Okay, I know what might be thinking. Do I really need another type of vinegar? Well, the use of white balsamic vinegar in the dressing is mostly aesthetic, however, it does not discolor either the orecchiette or mozzarella. Having a similar sweet taste to balsamic vinegar, the white balsamic vinegar has a much cleaner after taste. So, are you convinced yet? This dressing is made with a 2-1 ratio of extra-virgin olive oil to white balsamic vinegar along with some sea or kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

These little mozzarella pearls are much smaller than bocconcini. Because of their small spongy texture, they easily absorb the flavor of the dressing. If you can find them, buy the bocconcini and cut them into smaller penny size pieces. You can add the mozzarella to the salad either before or after you toss with the dressing. In order for the pasta and tomatoes to absorb more of the dressing, I usually wait to mix in until the salad has been tossed.

If there was ever a salad to celebrate summer's bounty of herbs and vegetables, this would be the one. A great alternative to the traditional caprese salad. Fresh, ripe, summer baby tomatoes are like bites of nature's candy. Unlike regular tomatoes, flavorful grape tomatoes can be found year round, making this a four season salad.

After eating the Orecchiette Caprese Salad at room temperature and chilled, I would lean toward serving it at room temp. So if you make it early in the day, allow to sit out at least an hour before serving to allow the olive oil to return to its' original consistency.

Looking for a salad to pair perfectly with grilled chicken, meat or fish, your search is now over. Fresh herbs, colorful baby tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and the white balsamic vinaigrette Thankfully those impulsive purchases at the farmer's market have positive outcomes more often than not. As an added benefit, a stroll through the market doesn't have to be one of those expensive, do I really need to have it experiences. I can't say same thing happens when walking through one of my favorite department stores, especially during one of their semi-annual sales. 

I was going to wait to post the Orecchiette Caprese Salad but thought maybe it would encourage you to go to a farmer's market this weekend. But don't let me stop you from going shopping anywhere else.

Recipe

Orecchiette Caprese Salad (inspired by Bon Appetit's August 2009 Orecchiette with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes and Garlic Chives)

Ingredients

12 ounces orecchiette pasta

1 pound little pearl mozzarella or fresh mozzarella diced or fresh bocconcini cut into penny sized pieces. Recommend BelGioioso mozzarella.

1 pound baby heirloom tomatoes or grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

7 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 1/2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons freshly minced basil

3 Tablespoons of garlic scapes, minced or 3 Tablespoons of garlic chives or a combination of both

Sea/Kosher Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until barely tender, slightly al dente. Drain. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Mix together extra-virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Season with sea or kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, tomatoes, basil and garlic scapes/garlic chives. Pour dressing over and mix well.

4. Stir in mozzarella. 

5. Taste and season with additional salt and/or pepper as needed. 

6. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Honeycomb Toffee, Sea Salted and Dark Chocolate Dipped aka Sponge Candy

"After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers."(Pastry chef Emily Luchetti) It would seem quite incomprehensible that one could simultaneously be intoxicated and in control of one's emotions and actions. Yet the allegedly well-researched, documented magical powers of chocolate have been known to do just that. Sometimes things are just worth believing. After weeks of eating fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries, my sweet tooth wanted something more than fruit. The number of options to feed the chocolate craving border on endless, but after thumbing through Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery cookbook I came across a recipe that took me on a trip down memory lane. If given the chance, who does not want the chance to relive a happy, memorable moment, especially if it has the added benefit of involving some form of chocolate?

Whether you call it Honeycomb Toffee, Sponge Toffee, Fairy Food Candy, Sea Foam Candy or Cinder Toffee, there is nothing quite like the caramelized sugar, slightly molasses-like, crispy, melt-away taste and texture of this confection. Cover it in a rich dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate and it is transformed into nothing short of a heavenly melt-in-your-mouth bite-sized confection. Sprinkle some sea salt on top and you might be inclined to keep it out of reach of anyone under the age of 21.

If you have ever shuffled over to Buffalo, you are well aware Sponge Candy is claimed as one of its' signature foods. And you thought their only food claim to fame are those fiery hot, spicy wings! Considered by some to be a regional candy, it was on a trip to Buffalo where I learned firsthand why so much fuss had been made around the golden, light, airy, crunchy bites, otherwise known as Honeycomb Toffee. In three whirlwind days we managed to attend the wedding of one of my staff members, do a 17 mile marathon training run, take side trips to Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake (loved the Canadian side of the falls) and have our first ever tastes of Beef on Weck, Anderson's Frozen Custard, and Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Toffee. Had taking photos of food been in vogue all of those years ago, it would be hard to say whether I would have taken more food or more Niagara falls photos. 

Normally one would not make Honeycomb Toffee on a hot, humid summer day, but the humidity had dropped, providing one of those must-take opportunities to make some. Humidity and honeycomb toffee are not friends.The honeycomb-like texture of the candy is achieved when baking soda is added to a mixture made of granulated sugar, corn syrup and water and cooked until reaching 300 degrees (F), the hard crack stage, on a candy thermometer. Note: When the baking soda is whisked in to the coked sugar mixture, it becomes foamy and dramatically increases in volume.

Working quickly after the baking soda is incorporated into the sugar mixture, pour onto a Silpat or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Note: The silicone non-stick liner not only aids in the honeycomb setting up, but makes removal very easy.) If the honeycomb remains slightly puffed up and has a shiny surface after its' poured and set for twenty minutes, you more than likely have achieved success.

It twenty (20) minutes, the Honeycomb is ready to be broken up into pieces or cut with a serrated knife. 

Once the Honeycomb has cooled and broken into pieces it needs to be immediately placed in a tightly sealed container or dipped in chocolate to prevent the candy from absorbing any moisture in the air and turning into a softened, sticky mess. In other words, once you start making the Honeycomb you need to finish it. But before dipping the pieces of Honeycomb into the melted chocolate, taste it. If for some reason the honeycomb is too dark, dense or hard it is best to make another batch. 

Taking this chocolatey, airy-crunchy, melt in your mouth confection to another level of additive, deliciousness was lightly sprinkling with a flaky, French sea salt. 

Deciding whether to dip the Honeycomb Toffee in dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate has everything to do with personal preference. At the moment I am on a dark chocolate kick. 

The odd-sized shapes to the Honeycomb Toffee may be a bit deceiving, especially for those who believe any chocolates and/or candies worth the calories must be perfectly shaped. Although randomly shaped pieces of Honeycomb Toffee seem to have their own kind of artisanal quality to them.

The Honeycomb Toffee, Sea Salted and Dark Chocolate Dipped could last for weeks stored in an airtight container, but probably won't, particularly if you make the location of the container known to anyone having a sweet tooth in your household. Admit it, you have hiding places and not just for those bags from your favorite stores. 

Recipe
Honeycomb Toffee, Sea Salted and Dark Chocolate Dipped aka Sponge Candy (inspired by a Nancy Silverton recipe in her cookbook Pastries from the La Brea Bakery)

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon baking soda, sifted
1 pound dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate, melted
Flaky French sea salt

Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Measure and sift baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a heavy-duty, medium sized saucepan, stir together the water, sugar and corn syrup until combined. 
4. Over high heat bring the mixture to a bowl without stirring. Continue to cook until it reaches 300 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat. Note: The mixture will have a very pale straw-like color.
5. Working quickly, add the baking soda and whisk for a few seconds until the baking soda is incorporated. The mixture will bubble up and become foamy.
6. Immediately pour over prepared baking pan allowing it spread out on its' own. Do not spread with any utensil.
7. Allow to hard and cool completely (approximately 20 minutes).
8. Remove honeycomb from silpat and transfer to a cutting board. Using the tip of a sharp knife break the honeycomb into uneven chunks.
9. Dip pieces of the honeycomb into the melted chocolate and set on a parchment paper lined cutting board. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt while chocolate is still 'wet'. Allow chocolate to completely harden before transferring honeycomb to an airtight container in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
Note: If not dipping the honeycomb pieces in chocolate, transfer to an airtight container. Undipped toffee will soften in the refrigerator.

The sun setting in Ludington, Michigan.

The 'Badger' ferry leaving Ludington (MI) and returning to Manitowoc (WI).

Cherry Hand Pies

Driving back from spending a few days at the lake with my sister and her family last week I was on a mission. That being to stop at one of the orchards along the highway to pick up some fresh blueberries and cherries before they closed. Along with taking photographs and getting a little summer color, the trip up to Michigan would have not been complete without bringing home some height of the season fruit. My only regret on this trip was not bringing home some of the most amazing smoked Norwegian salmon I had ever had from one of the iconic fisheries in Pentwater. 

For weeks now I have been wanting to make some hand pies but couldn't decide which to make first, blueberry or cherry. Decisions, decisions. But after reading the reviews for Bon Appetit's Cherry Hand Pies it was a no-brainer decision.

The hand pie has to rank up there as one of the greatest pastry inventions. So why has it taken me so long to make them? I honestly don't have a good answer to that question. However, now that I have seen the 'hand pie light' I am completely smitten by these pillowy bites of deliciousness and should probably go on a hand pie making binge to make up for all of the years they were not in my life. 

The hand pies can be made with either fresh or frozen cherries which means you can make these hand pies year round.

Pitting fresh cherries might be a little messy, but easy to do with a cherry pitter. But if you don't have one TheKitchn share three ways to pit cherries without a pitter.

In addition to 12 ounces of fresh, pitted cherries, the filling includes dried cherries, sugar, vanilla, sea salt and cornstarch. To further highlight the flavor of the cherries I added some kirsch but it's optional. Pastry chef David Lebovitz refers to kirsch as the secret weapon for every kind of berry dessert imaginable.

While I was intrigued by the ingredients in the cherry filling in the recipe (fresh cherries and dried cherries), I was beyond elated when I saw the hand pies were made of puff pastry rather than a homemade pastry. Not only because it simplified the making of these pies, but there may be no better flavor than than of a buttery, flaky pastry. Thawed puff pastry is rolled out on a lightly floured surface. A light dusting of flour on top of the puff pastry makes the rolling process seem effortless. 

The hand pies can be made in any shape or size. The dough can be cut into circles, triangles, rectangles or squares using a knife, pastry cutter, or cookie cutters like these. I used a 3 inch cookie cutter to create these cute, pillowy, cherry bites of deliciousness. The bottom piece of dough is brushed lightly with the egg wash before the cooled filling is spooned on. 

For this size, two teaspoons of the cherry filling seemed to be right amount and yielded the perfect filling to dough ratio. Depending on the size of hand pie you make, the amount of filling you use will vary. Avoid putting too much filling on the dough or you will end up with more filling on the pan than in the hand pies (and that would be a travesty). After placing a piece puff pastry on top of the cherry filling, use your fingers or a fork to seal the edges of the hand pie. You can make the vents on the top lid either before or after the hand pie is assembled. However, if you want circles instead of slits, use a straw to make the holes in the dough before you begin the assembly process.

The tops of the hand pies are brushed with the egg wash and generously sprinkled with sparkling sugar. Once you have filled a baking sheet with finished hand pies (leaving at least one inch of space between them), return to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

The hand pies are baked in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are a golden brown. Baking time will vary based on the size of your hand pies. Baked hand pies are transferred to a wire rack and allowed to cool to room temperature before serving, that is, if you can wait that long for these beauties. They are the perfect way to celebrate summer.

Recipe

Cherry Hand Pies (an ever so slight adaptation to Bon Appetit's July 2011 Cherry Hand Pie recipe)

Makes 24-30 3" hand pies

Ingredients
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 Tablespoons ice cold water
12 ounces fresh cherries, pitted or 12 ounces frozen pitted cherries unthawed
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Kirsch (optional)
2 - 14 ounce packages of all-butter puff pastry (preferably Dufour), thawed in the refrigerator
Flour (for rolling and dusting)
1 large egg white
1-2 Tablespoons sparkling sugar

Directions
1. In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and cold water. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the fresh (and/or frozen) cherries, dried cherries, sugar, vanilla, sea salt and Kirsch. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the cherry juices are released (approximately 5 minutes).
3. Add cornstarch, bring to boil, stirring often until mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir occasionally.
4. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
5. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 18" to 15" rectangle. Cut into 3 inch squares.
6. Whisk together egg white with 1 Tablespoon water in small bowl for egg wash. 
7. Working with 1 pastry square/circle at a time, place on cool work surface and brush edges with egg wash.
8. Scoop approximately 2 teaspoons of of cherry mixture on one side. Top with another square, crimp around edges with a fork. Cut several slits on top of the hand pie with a knife or use a straw to make several circle cuts. Place hand pie on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and mixture.
9. Brush tops of each hand pie with egg wash, then sprinkle with sparking sugar. Chill for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). 
11. Bake hand pies until golden brown 20-25 minutes.
12. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
Important Note: Use only package of puff pastry (yield 14-16 three inch hand pies) and use the remaining cherry mixture for topping over ice cream.

Trolls painted on the bridge over the channel connecting Bass Lake (Pentwater, MI) to Lake Michigan.