Curated by Ashley James, culinary director at The Beverly Hills Hotel, this Californian Panzanella is the perfect light dish for those long summer evenings. Fresh and delicious, the salad is packed full of flavour, from the medley of fruit and vegetables to the creaminess of the burrata and crunchiness of the focaccia croutons.
Ingredients (for four people)
For the salad:
- 4 pieces of 50g Burrata cheese
- 30g shaved ricotta salata
- 80g wild rocket
- 80g watermelon cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 80g cantaloupe melon cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 80g heirloom cherry tomatoes cut into halves
- 60g Persian baby cucumbers cut into 20mm slices
- 40g pickled red onions
- 80g Focaccia bread cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the vinaigrette:
- 50ml Californian extra virgin olive oil
- 50ml grape seed oil
- 40ml white balsamic vinegar
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- 10g finely chopped shallots
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Method
For the croutons:
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
- In a bowl place the croutons, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the
olive oil and gently toss until all of the bread is coated in oil. - Place the croutons on a parchment lined baking sheet in the oven for about 10-12 minutes
until golden brown and crunchy.
For the vinaigrette: - In a bowl, add the white balsamic vinegar, followed by salt and pepper.
- Add the Dijon mustard and chopped shallots.
- Whisk in the two oils until a light emulsification is obtained.
For the salad:
- In a large bowl add the rocket, tomatoes, cucumber, melons, croutons, salt and pepper to
taste followed by the vinaigrette. - Lightly toss the salad, being cautious not to bruise the ingredients.
- Divide the salad between 4 serving plates or bowls of your choice.
- Place the burrata cheese in the centre of the plate on top of the salad.
- Sprinkle some of the ricotta salata around the salad and garnish with the pickled red onion.
- Season the burrata cheese with a little salt and freshy ground black pepper followed by a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
