Last weekend my sister came over to help me with finally creating a wine inventory. With a growing number of wine bottles purchased or gifted over the years, I needed to get a handle on the drinkability dates of more than a hundred bottles of wine. As anticipated (but with some trepidation), we discovered there were more than a dozen bottles of wine "technically past their prime drinking dates". We stopped the inventory at 106 bottles, leaving another twenty or so for me to finish. Not because we were tired, but because I was beginning to feel some stress. Sensing my feelings of dread over realizing just how many really good bottles of wine should have been enjoyed over the past several years, my sister (the family wine expert and connoisseur) told me not to throw them away. Telling me that sometimes those 'past their best drinkable date' wines might still be really very good or even good enough to use in cooking. So the other day I decided to test out her advice and open up a 2013 bottle of Zinfandel to serve with these Grilled Baby Peppers w/ White Balsamic Vinaigrette & Burrata. If there was ever a (rare) time I wanted my sister to be right and me to be wrong, this was it. And guess what? She was, thank goodness. But while I know not every bottle of 'expired' wine will be 'good enough' to drink or cook with, somehow discovering there was at least one bottle tasting better than good enough (it was actually really, really good) helped to relieve a bit of my wine anxiety. Beyond being able to spend some long overdue time with my sister and finally getting the inventory done, I had quite a few 'wine' takeaways from the experience. Although stop buying more wine wasn't one of them.
Last year I shared a recipe for Roasted Mini-Sweet Peppers, Burrata and Italian Meats Crostini. While this new recipe is made with baby sweet peppers, burrata and a sliced baguette, the flavors between the two appetizers couldn't be more different. They are sort of like the difference between a chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon.
For the best flavor, grill the baby sweet peppers until they are softened and slightly charred (about 3-4 minutes per side). Just as grilling vegetables makes them 'over the top' tasteworthy, the same thing happens when bread is grilled. Brushing both sides of the bread slices before placing them on the grill and then rubbing a cut clove of garlic over each grilled slice adds another dimension of flavor.
To prepare the baby sweet peppers, simply toss them in some extra-virgin olive oil and season them with some Kosher salt and pepper. Grilling time for the peppers will depend on how hot your grill is. Plan for grilling the peppers for approximately 3-4 minutes per side. As soon as grill marks appear on one side of the peppers, flip them over. Note: If you don't have an outdoor gas grill, use a stovetop grill pan. Grilling on the stovetop might take a little bit longer.
Arrange the grilled baby sweet peppers and pieces of burrata on a large, beautiful platter. Drizzle the White Balsamic Vinaigrette over them, then arrange the slices of the grilled baguette around the edges. Garnish with some fresh herbs (basil and thyme) and/or some edible flowers. Then serve and enjoy!
The Grilled Baby Sweet Peppers w/ White Balsamic Vinaigrette & Burrata might be one of the most visually appealing appetizers you serve this summer. More importantly, it might also be one of the most flavorful! Serve it with a really good wine (one whose drinkability date didn't expire years ago!) or some sparkling water garnished with a lemon, lime or fresh fruit. Then sit back and watch the platter of Grilled Baby Sweet Peppers w/ White Balsamic Vinaigrette & Burrata disappear.
Recipe
Grilled Baby Sweet Peppers w/ White Balsamic Vinaigrette & Burrata
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or use champagne vinegar)
2 Tablespoons basil, julienned
2 Tablespoons chives, finely chopped
1-2 Tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds (675-680g) baby bell peppers in assorted colors
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8-12 ounces (226-339g) burrata, cut into 4, 6 or 8 pieces
Baguette, cut into generous 1/4" slices
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
1 clove of garlic, for finishing the grilled baguette slices
Optional but good: Fresh herbs and/or flowers for garnishing
Directions
Vinaigrette
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the white balsamic vinegar, basil, chives, thyme, garlic, Kosher salt and pepper.
2. Slow add in the olive oil and whisk until combined. Set the vinaigrette aside to allow the flavors to develop.
Grilled Baby Sweet Peppers
1. Heat the grill.
2. Toss the baby bell peppers with 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with the Kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Lay the peppers on the hot grill. Cook the peppers for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until grill marks are on both sides of the peppers.
4. Transfer the grilled peppers to a large platter.
5. Arrange pieces of the burrata on the platter and drizzle the peppers and cheese with the vinaigrette. Lightly sprinkle with some Kosher salt. While the grilled peppers and burrata marinate in the vinaigrette, grill the bread.
6. Add slices of the grilled baguette on the platter. Garnish with some fresh herbs and, if possible, some edible flowers.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes: (1) To make the best slices of a grilled baguette, lightly brush both sides of the bread with some olive oil. Place on a hot grill. Cook until light grill marks appear on both sides. Rub the grilled slices with a half clove of garlic. (2) The recipe calls for an 8 ounce ball of burrata cut into pieces. If you can find four ounce balls of burrata, buy three of them (for a total of 12 ounces). Cut them each into four pieces and arrange on the platter. (3) When buying baby sweet peppers, try to buy an assortment of colors (red, yellow, orange).