Over Memorial Day weekend, we went up to the mountains for a little R&R&R (Rest, Relaxation and car Restoration). My fiancé and his dad are working on restoring one of his classic BMW’s up at their place in North Carolina, which meant we got to stop by my favorite farm stand on the way home. Win-win. The Osage Farms farm stand is the real deal and we always look forward to grabbing some summer staples like green beans, corn, strawberries and as many peaches as possible. I dreamt up dinner on the way home and we decided to smorgasbord our farm stand produce by making a Peach Burrata Appetizer.
Well, not just any plain ol’ peach burrata appetizer, those are a dime a dozen on the internets. We used a bunch of fresh herbs from the garden and piled on the citrus and spice until I was bursting with anticipation to eat it.
For me, creating a summertime appetizer means using all of the fresh ingredients around you to create something delicious, and by happenstance, beautiful. I don’t want to overcomplicate the flavors and just want to let the freshness shine through.
There is truly no greater privilege than having access to fresh fruit and vegetables, which I gratefully highlighted in this peach burrata appetizer.
If you really want to get into the thick of appreciating your meals, I highly recommend heading to a u-pick farm nearby (we love Mercier Orchards for peaches and berries but there are a bunch you can find here), spend an afternoon elbows deep in foliage plucking the almost perfect fruit off of a tree/bush/whathaveyou and then take it home and whip up a variety of delicious dishes.
I think that’s part of the joy of cooking is that with a little understanding of what flavors go together (this is also a good resource for anyone interested) the sky is the limit to make something fresh and beautiful every season.
That being said, go get some peaches from your local farmers market (or farm stand) and whip up this peach burrata appetizer!
This peach burrata appetizer is a great way to use your farmers market haul and turn it into something unique and divine. Serve with crusty bread.
- 1 baguette sliced into diagonal rounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 peaches sliced
- 1/2 cup mini heirloom tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 lemon zested
- 1 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 fresh pieces of burrata
- 8 small leaves of mint rubbed to release oils
- 6 small leaves of basil rubbed to release oils
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Turn the broiler on in the oven and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush both sides of baguette with olive oil and broil until edges are golden brown. Remove and set aside.
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In a small bowl, combine peaches, heirloom tomatoes, lemon zest, white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss lightly to combine, turn the bowl over to a plate and place two large pieces of burrata on top. Garnish with mint and basil. Serve.
