Honey Burrata and Pickled Pear Flatbread

Honey Burrata and Pickled Pear Flatbread

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

For Flatbread (per serving):

1 each - naan base

1/4 cup - Concasse Tomato Sauce, recipe below

1/2 cup - fresh burrata

1/3 cup - Grilled Red Onions, recipe below

1/3 cup - Honey Pickled Pears, recipe below

1/2 cup - baby arugula

1 T - Honey Vinaigrette, recipe below

1 tsp. - hot honey

For Concasse Tomato Sauce:

as needed - water

as needed - kosher salt

4 lbs. - vine ripe tomatoes

1/2 cup - extra virgin olive oil

2 T - minced garlic cloves

2 T - fresh thyme

1/2 tsp. - kosher salt

1/4 tsp. - ground black pepper

For Grilled Red Onions:

3 1/4 cups - red onion, coarsely julienned

3 1/4 T - extra virgin olive oil

1/3 tsp. - kosher salt

1/4 tsp. - ground black pepper

3 1/4 T - wildflower honey

For Honey Pickled Pears:

1 1/2 cups - apple cider vinegar

1 cup - water

3 T - clover honey

2 each - whole dry piquillo chilis

2 each - dry bay leaves

1/3 tsp. - kosher salt

3/4 tsp. - whole peppercorns

2 each - bartlett pears

For Honey Vinaigrette:

1/2 T - Dijon mustard

3/4 cup - avocado oil

2 T - finely minced shallot

2 T - fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup - red wine vinegar

2 T - clover honey

1/2 tsp. - kosher salt

1/4 tsp. - ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

For Flatbread (per serving):
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Set the naan base on a baking tray. Evenly spread concasse tomato sauce atop the naan base. Evenly top naan base with fresh burrata, red onions, and pears. Transfer flatbread to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

While the flatbread is in the oven, toss the arugula in the honey vinaigrette. Momentarily set aside.

Remove the flatbread from the oven and top evenly with the dressed arugula. Drizzle the flatbread with the hot honey. Serve immediately.

For Concasse Tomato Sauce:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt.

Set up an ice batch large enough to accommodate tomatoes.

Score the tomatoes at the non-stem end and add to the water in batches, making certain not to overcrowd, for it may cool the water excessively. Cook for roughly 1 minute or until the skins start to peel slightly. Remove the tomatoes with a spider and plunge into an ice bath.

Once the tomatoes have cooled completely, peel them using a paring knife to grasp the skin. Remove the exterior flesh and separate the ribs and stems to create clean tomato fillets.

Finely chop to 3/8 inch and drain in a sieve.

Heat a large sauté pan over a medium-high flame. Add the oil and sauté the garlic very briefly, avoiding all browning that could contribute bitterness. Add drained chopped tomatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes to meld the flavors, then remove from the heat. Set aside for later use.

For Grilled Red Onions:
Preheat grill and grill pan. If you do not have a grill pan, place a fine screen over the grill.

In a medium bowl, toss the onion in the oil, salt, and pepper.

Place in the grill pan over the flame. Grill until the onion begins to soften and a bit of char appears on the edges of the individual pieces, roughly 3-5 minutes.

Return the onion to the bowl, drizzle with honey, and toss well. Cover and allow to steam/cool under refrigeration. Set aside for later use.

For Honey Pickled Pears:
Place the vinegar, water, honey, chilis, bay leaves, salt, and pepper into a saucepan large enough to accommodate the pears and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow too steep for 10 minutes. Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Immediately add them to the pot and return the pot to the flame. Bring mixture back to the boil. Once at a boil, reduce the flame, and leave to simmer slowly for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat, and transfer the fruit to a clean container.

Strain and cool the liquid in an ice bath and cover the fruit with the liquid. Store covered and refrigerated for a minimum of 1 hour. After 1 hour, slice the pieces thinly into 1/8-inch pieces. Set aside for later use.

For Honey Vinaigrette:
Place the Dijon mustard, avocado oil, shallot, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper into a blender. Blend until the mixture is creamy and emulsified. Transfer to a sealable container or squeeze bottle. Set aside for later use.