Burrata Caprese with Heirloom Tomatoes and Basil Oil

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A fine-dining take on the five-ingredient classic: thick-cut heirloom tomatoes salted until they weep sweet juice, a torn ball of cold burrata, vivid green basil oil you blend in two minutes, and a real balsamic reduction simmered from the bottle instead of squeezed from a glaze bottle. The whole plate lives or dies on tomato selection and seasoning, so that's where most of the work goes.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar (a mid-range Modena bottle, not the aged expensive stuff)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed (about 2 large bunches)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, mild and fruity
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 2 lb ripe heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors and sizes
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more to finish
• 8 oz burrata (2 balls), at room temperature 20 minutes
• 2 cups spring mix or tender baby greens
• 12 small basil leaves, for finishing
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for the greens

Instructions

1. Shop first, cook second: choose heirloom tomatoes that feel heavy for their size, smell sweet and green at the stem scar, and give slightly under thumb pressure — no give means underripe, mushy give means past it. Buy a mix of colors (a dark Cherokee Purple, a striped Green Zebra, a yellow) for contrast. Store them stem-side down on the counter, never in the refrigerator, which kills their aroma and turns the flesh mealy.
2. Make the balsamic reduction: combine 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook 10 to 14 minutes, swirling occasionally, until the volume drops by about two-thirds and the vinegar coats the back of a spoon in a thin, glossy film. Do not walk away past minute 8 — it goes from syrup to burnt tar quickly. Pour into a small bowl; it thickens further as it cools. If it sets too stiff, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water.
3. Make the basil oil: bring a small pot of water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water beside it. Drop the 2 cups of basil leaves in for exactly 15 seconds, then transfer immediately to the ice bath. This locks in the green so the oil doesn't turn army-drab. Squeeze the leaves dry in a clean towel, pressing hard — wet basil makes cloudy oil.
4. Blend the blanched basil with 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt on high for 60 to 90 seconds, until the oil is bright green and slightly warm to the touch. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a doubled paper towel, letting it drip 10 minutes; don't press it or it will cloud. You'll get about 1/3 cup of intensely green oil.
5. Salt the tomatoes — this is the step most home cooks skip. Core the tomatoes and cut them into thick 1/2-inch slices and wedges, mixing shapes for a rustic plate. Lay them in a single layer on a rimmed plate or baking sheet, sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, and let them sit 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature. The salt draws out water, concentrating the flavor and creating a pool of sweet tomato juice you'll use as part of the dressing.
6. Drain the tomatoes over a small bowl, reserving the juice. Whisk 2 tablespoons of that tomato juice with 1 tablespoon olive oil to make a quick vinaigrette for the greens; toss the 2 cups of spring mix in it just before plating so the leaves don't wilt.
7. Build the plate: scatter the dressed greens loosely across a large platter or four chilled salad plates. Arrange the tomato slices over and among the greens, overlapping and standing some up on edge for height rather than laying everything flat.
8. Drain the burrata and set the balls on a paper towel for 30 seconds. Tear each ball in half by hand over the platter so the cream spills onto the tomatoes — a knife squeezes it out cleanly, hands let it collapse the way you want. Nest the pieces among the tomatoes.
9. Finish and serve immediately: spoon the basil oil over the tomatoes and around the plate, drizzle the balsamic reduction in thin lines (a spoon tip or a squeeze bottle works better than pouring), then add small basil leaves, a final pinch of flaky salt directly on the burrata, and plenty of cracked black pepper. Serve within 5 minutes, with grilled bread for the juices.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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