Burrata with Pickled Strawberries, Sumac and Basil

Inspired by Susan Spungen Open Kitchen Cookbook

How delicious can you get, the creamy burrata, off set by the pickled fruit and drizzled with seeded honey. Perfect to start a meal for Spring and Summer and just in time for Rose season.

Ingredients:

2 8-oz balls burrata cheese

1 Tbl sumac

Extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup fresh basil

Crusty bread

Pickled strawberries (recipe follows)

Seeded Honey (recipe follows)

Directions:

Place the cheese on a serving plate and break open the burrata. Sprinkle with the Sumac, Spoon strawberries around the cheese. Drizzle with oil and seeded honey. Serve with basil and bread on the side.

Pickled Strawberries with Cinnamon

Ingredients:

1 lb strawberries, halved

1 cup white wine vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 (2 1/2-inch) cinnamon stick, cut in half (if using two jars, otherwise leave whole)

1/4 tsp salt

*dried chili

Directions:

Rinse strawberries and slice and put in a glass container

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved turn off heat and pour over strawberries.

Once cool, chill the strawberries and brine mixture in their jars in the refrigerator for at least eight hours or overnight. Serve cold, perhaps at a cheese course and salads.

Seeded Honey

In a dry skillet toast a spoonful each of fennel, sesame, and cumin swirling them in the hot pan just until the sesame seeds took on a golden-brown color. Put seeds into a small bowl, let them cool, then stirred in a spoonful of poppy seeds, stir it into honey. One tablespoon of mixed seeds for every 1/4 cup of honey.