In the heat of summer we keep our cooking simple. Still delicious (perhaps even more so) but always very straightforward. It helps that produce and fruits this time the year are at their peak. It's when we find summer ripe tomatoes, the prettiest strawberries... and the sweetest apricots. Ah, the apricots. They're truly our favorite part of summer, and we can find a million reasons and ways to eat them.
Lately we've been enjoying them in a savory-sweet application, the ideal easy summer lunch or dinner. Burrata cheese, fresh apricots and good bread are the main components. Because there are few ingredients, the quality of each one is key. This trio, rounded out with the tang of crème fraîche and a kiss of honey, olive oil, and sea salt, pairs well with one cake in particular: Royal Milk Tea Mousse Cake.
Burrata and Apricot Tartine Ceylon Dimbula Tea (a brisk black tea) and chocolate cake are the two key flavors in our popular Royal Milk Tea Mousse Cake. Apricots and chocolate are a classic couple, and we make the flavors of the apricots richer and brighter by first roasting them in the oven. Ceylon Dimbula Tea is typically served with a splash of milk... but in place of milk you'll get burrata and crème fraîche. It's a playful match, and a very tasty one!
Here's what you'll need to get started:
1 pint of fresh apricots
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 ball of burrata
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Olive oil
Sea salt
Toast (ideally from a hearty, whole grain loaf)
Roast the apricots: Wash and quarter the apricots lengthwise. Place the apricots on a greased baking sheet, drizzle lightly with honey. Roast at 350F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Fresh apricots Prepare the burrata: For this step, we use a style/technique created at Estela, a Soho restaurant where we often go for dinner. Over a shallow bowl (this will be the bowl you serve the dish in), hold the burrata ball with both hands and gently pull it in half, releasing the soft cream filling. Release the whole burrata ball into the bowl and then mix in the crème fraiche with a fork. Break the burrata into smaller pieces as you mix.
Plate: Top the burrata/crème fraiche mix with the quartered apricots. Drizzle with any extra honey, a bit of good olive oil, and sea salt.
Burrata and Apricot Tartine Eat: Toast the bread till crisp and golden, and spoon a bit of everything on top to get the perfect bite. Voilà! A simple, elegant summer meal.
