Burrata With Fava Beans, Fennel and Celery
Good fresh burrata — mozzarella’s luscious, creamy-centered cousin — really needs no adornment, just good bread to accompany it (and perhaps a drizzle of olive oil and few arugula leaves). To make it more festive, add a quickly made seasonal vegetable topping and serve the gilded burrata as a salad or antipasto. Bright green fava beans, celery and fennel make a lovely rendition for spring.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 3pounds fresh fava beans in the pod
- 1small shallot, finely diced
- 3tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- ¼cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- ½cup thinly sliced celery (tender inner stalks)
- ⅔cup thinly sliced fennel
- A handful of small arugula leaves
- 8ounces burrata
- Mint or basil, for garnish
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water and keep it nearby. Meanwhile, shuck the fava beans from the pods. Plunge beans into boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain beans, then cool in the ice water to stop cooking. Blot beans on a clean kitchen towel.Step 2
Remove outer gray skin from each bean: Pierce with a thumbnail or paring knife and squeeze to pop bean from skin. Your yield should be about 2 1/2 cups peeled beans. Discard skins. (If desired, beans may be peeled several hours ahead or a day in advance and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before proceeding.)Step 3
Make the dressing: Put diced shallot in a small bowl and cover with lemon juice. Add a good pinch of salt and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in olive oil.Step 4
Place fava beans, celery and fennel in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add dressing and toss well.Step 5
Place burrata in the center of a platter. Arrange arugula leaves at edges of platter. Spoon fava bean mixture and dressing over and around burrata. Garnish with roughly chopped mint or torn basil leaves and serve immediately.