RECIPE: Level 4 Puree- Caprese Salad

This tasty favourite is the perfect entree, side dish or snack to share with friends- or just a fresh little treat for yourself because why not 💁🏻‍♀️

The Caprese, or a quirky take on it, is on the menu at just about every eatery I can think of during summer and why wouldn't it be?! It's an absolute gem.

A lot of puree foods tend to be cooked and warm, just like the tomato paste, so the Caprese is an opportunity to give a fresh, cool spin on your next shared meal.

The only caution with this winner is that sometimes the burrata can be a bit dry depending on the knot you're served up so it's important to keep some of the brine on hand in case you need to smooth it out. On that note, make sure that enough brine is scooped into the container when you purchase it!

There ain't no season like tomato season and during summer it's so easy to make a beautiful rich tomato paste. However, slow cooking such an acidic vegetable can run the risk of a bitter tang so be sure not to leave out the sprinkle of sugar to cut the bitterness and the acid in check 😏

PUREE CAPRESE SALAD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

800g Tomatoes

½ tablespoon of sugar

4 medium burrata

2 cups of basil

4 tsp lemon juice

2.5 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Core and seed the tomatoes.

2. Chop tomatoes up in quarters of sixths, depending on size.

3. Place in a pot and bring to the boil. There is no need to add water as the water content of the tomatoes will be released and will be adequate to cook in.

4. Simmer for approximately an hour. Then, put through a sieve to remove skins and seeds. Be sure to scrape through sufficiently to get all the flesh from the tomatoes through.

5. Return the sieved tomatoes back to pot and add the sugar. Simmer until the tomatoes reach a puree consistency, approximately another 45 minutes. This may vary with each batch of tomatoes depending on size and water content. You can check the consistency by completing the fork test.

6. Once the tomatoes have reached the right consistency, bring to room temperature before serving.

7. Place basil, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in the blender and blend until smooth and of a pureed consistency.

8. Just prior to serving, remove burrata skin and scrape out soft insides into a bowl. Smooth out the insides with a fork until lumps have reduced into a paste-like consistency. If the cheese seems dry or it is difficult to smooth out the lumps, add some of the burrata water from the container. Again, you can test this with the fork or spoon test.

9. To plate, spread a thin layer of tomato puree over the plate. Dollop the smooth burrata cheese in the middle and gently garnish with drops of basil sauce over the top, to taste.

Don't be afraid to spread that tomato paste across a serving platter and generously dollop the burrata in whatever shape, pattern or fashion you're feeling 💅🏼

A perfect and creative spread for everyone ✨