Burrata Salad Two Ways: Crushed Peas and Tangerines

Two burrata salads, both alike in dignity. Both delicious, one more complex than the other. Both boasting bold ingredients, then tempered by the rich creamy insides of a burrata ball. Both utilizing arugula, one slightly more memorable than the other. 

I’ll start with the most impactful salad: Crushed Peas with Burrata and Black (Green) Olives. 

Yes, I used green Castelvetrano olives here because I like them better than black olives. A whole lot better. I crushed a handful of them and laid them to rest in olive oil while prepping the rest of the salad. Please note that Alison says nothing in the recipe about crushing the olives, but the picture in the book appears to have crushed black olives, so that’s what I did. Plus, I don’t want to eat a whole olive when everything else in the salad is much smaller/crushed. The texture of whole olives just didn’t feel right. 

I used frozen and thawed peas instead of fresh peas. Half of the peas are crushed by hand, (it’s almost as satisfying as crushing canned, whole tomatoes by hand, and less messy) and mixed with the other half of the peas, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. 

I chose arugula, parsley, and tarragon as my greens, since that’s what I had on hand. I tossed them with lemon juice, then set out to arrange the salad. First, tear the burrata into bite-sized pieces and place it in the center of a serving platter. Next, spoon the peas over and around the burrata. Then, scatter the lemony greens over the peas. Finally, spoon the olives and oil over the salad, followed by more oil and flaky salt. I served this salad with Alison’s Pizza Night (post to come) and it was a true hit! Fully of salty, tangy, herby flavor and fun textures that complemented the pizza nicely. I’ll certainly make this one again! 

And finally: Burrata with Tangerines, Shallots, and Watercress

I also used arugula here instead of watercress for convenience reasons. I first marinated the sliced shallots in lemon juice. Then peeled and sliced several tangerines. I arranged the salad in a similar fashion to the one above: torn burrata in the middle, citrus scattered, then greens, then lemony shallots, followed by a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. For those who don’t like funky flavors, this salad is very straightforward and well balanced. It can pair well with a wider range of dishes, compared to the other salad. 

The burrata with tangerines salad feels like something you’d order at a country club, meaning it’s fresh and healthy tasting, but it probably won’t change your life. The burrata and peas salad could easily be ordered at a hip restaurant in Brooklyn, and you might walk away a bit different than before. 

200 and 201 recipes cooked, 24 to go.

One Pot Chicken with Caramelized Lemon and Dates

I made this chicken on January 23, 2021, along with Alison’s Butter-Tossed Radishes and Garlicky Broccoli with Hazelnuts and Coriander. They were among the very first recipes I made from Alison’s books after receiving them as Christmas presents. Cooking this One Pot Chicken was only my third or fourth time ever roasting a whole chicken, and I reveled in this new skill, and the courage it took to acquire it. (Raw chicken used to really freak me out.)

This early meal provided the inspiration for this project. I had never made a meal using three brand new recipes and found each one to be out of my comfort zone, complex and innovative in flavor, and surprisingly straightforward to cook – all at once. I tasted Za’atar for the first time. I embarked on my first ingredient scavenger hunt to find ground sumac. I’d never thought a flavorful chicken could require so few ingredients. And how many times had I made roasted broccoli before? Alison’s recipe provided a major upgrade to a weekly dinner staple. Never had I learned so much by making a single meal. It was invigorating! 

I still hadn’t fully conceived the structure of the Annie and Alison blog. I had ideas, but nothing I’d formally committed to. I knew taking pictures would be an important element of blogging, but didn’t think to capture a bunch of this meal. Four days later, I put pen to paper in earnest and decided to tell friends and family about the cooking challenge. At which point, I told myself I’d remake this One-Pot Chicken so I could get better pictures. 

Well, here we are almost a year later, only 29 days left of the project, and I still haven’t recaptured this dish. Which I feel just fine about. Alison’s One Pot Chicken is, in my opinion, one of her most recognized recipes. She’s made a Home Movie about it, A Newsletter about it, and there are hundreds of images of other people making it on Instagram. Do I really need to add my own to that library? I don’t think so. 

There’s also not a whole lot more I can say about it that hasn’t already been said in the aforelinkedto media, so I’ll leave my story here: This chicken marks the beginning of one of the best creative endeavors of my life, and for that, it’ll always be special to me. 

197 recipes cooked, 28 to go.

can someone please tell me if they’ve ever successfully captured an appetizing picture of a raw chicken? thx.

Raw Broccoli and Basil Salad with Shallots and Peanuts by Alison Roman

I’m a huge fan of The Office. If you are too, then you also probably think of this show whenever someone mentions raw broccoli. I’m thinking of the scene where the office is gathered in the conference room, and Michael is trying to persuade everyone why they need to live more healthy lifestyles. Kevin admits that he hates vegetables, especially broccoli. So Michael decides then and there to change that. He hands Kevin a massive raw broccoli tree and tells him to eat it in front of everyone. Of course, Kevin sticks the top of the tree straight in his mouth and begins to choke on the dry greens before spitting it all back out. It’s gross, but also hilarious. And since that scene, I’ve avoided raw broccoli in veggie trays ever since. 

Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to this recipe. Hence why I made it towards the end of this endeavor. 

But boy, was I pleasantly surprised. Instead of feeling like Kevin, repulsed by the dry mealiness of raw broccoli, I couldn’t stop myself from snacking on the broccoli before I served dinner! 

The key was using flowering broccoli (aka broccolini) instead of the stalky, bushy kind you see on a veggie tray. Flowering broccoli is a more physically flexible vegetable with bendy and tender stems and less densely populated treetops. (Sounds funny, but you know what I mean, right?) Once massaged in lime juice and fish sauce (yes, fish sauce) the greens are bursting with flavor and even more tender. I did decide to follow Alison’s tip and further slice the broccoli lengthwise into smaller strips. 

The lime juice/fish sauce combo and other toppings MAKE this salad what it is. Topping 1: frizzled shallots. Mine took twice as long to become golden like Alison instructs. Perhaps the pot I used was too small. Chopped peanuts add a nice crunch and nutty undertone. And basil, well, I’m sure it’d taste great! Sadly, mine spoiled in the fridge and I didn’t realize it until I pulled it out to use. 

My mom and sister expressed surprise at how much they also enjoyed the salad, both admitting that they were skeptical when I first told them the recipe name. Between the three of us, we finished off the whole bowl of broccoli along with Alison’s Tiny Creamy Pasta and glasses of red wine. 

If you, too, feel a hesitancy toward this salad — don’t. I think you’ll love it.

186 recipes cooked, 39 to go.

Lemony Watercress with Raw and Toasted Fennel by Alison Roman

Raw fennel and I started out on rocky ground. I wanted to like her, but found her crisp structure a little too firm for a salad and her flavor a little too potent on its own. Fennel has a lot of licorice and anise type notes, which can either add depth to a dish, or overpower everything. 

The other partakers in this salad would probably argue that the raw fennel fell into its overpowering role. I, however, felt differently. For me, the key was the thinness of the fennel slices. I focused really hard on shaving the fennel with my knife, so that each slice was practically transparent. By slicing the fennel as thin as possible, it seemed to complement rather than control the dish. Each bite had only hints of licorice. Which made it all the more exciting to me. 

It was clear that I was the only one who loved it, because I was the only one who reached for seconds, and offered to eat it the next day as leftovers. But that’s alright. Not all salads can please all people. 

If the fennel didn’t scare you off by now, I’ll tell you about the rest of the salad! The other major player is watercress, which I found at Whole Foods (surprise, surprise). The greens are dressed with a very simple dressing made of toasted fennel seeds, finely chopped shallot, lemon juice and thinly sliced lemons. I let the dressing sit for about 45 minutes on the counter ahead of the meal, which helped to soften the lemon slices. There, too, I tried hard to keep the lemon slices as absolutely, painfully thin as possible. Because no one wants a mouth full of thick lemon. 

Just before serving, the salad is tossed with the dressing and drizzled with olive oil. And I’ll tell you what. The leftovers were even better. The lemon and shallot further softened and the juices had time to really marinate the raw fennel, making it sort of slaw-like in a very balanced way. 

I served this salad with Alison’s Skillet Chicken with Olives and Sumac, and Madeline contributed a powerful gazpacho made with cantaloupe and jalapeño by Melissa Clark. Oh, and Lemon Shaker Tart for dessert! That post is forthcoming. 

69 recipes cooked, 156 to go.

Vinegared Romaine with Sour Cream, Bacon, and Herbs by Alison Roman

I love salads. Give me a big bowl of greens with all the fixings, plenty of texture (there must be crunch!), tossed in a tangy, zippy dressing with extra on the side, and I will love you forever. Maybe not forever, but for that day at least. 

To me, a great salad has a lot going on, and the various parts must all work together and complement each other. Decadence is encouraged, and so is simplicity! As long as the salad has excellent fixings, textural variance, and each part contributes well to the whole, I will love it. 

With this criteria in mind, I’ll break down this excellent salad. 

All the fixings: The elements, rather, are as follows: ½ head of romaine per person, ½ shallot finely chopped and marinated in white wine vinegar with salt and pepper, sour cream with salt and pepper, crispy bacon, and herbs. First, the finely chopped shallots are placed in a small bowl with the white wine vinegar to marinate and slightly soften. Then the sour cream is distributed to each plate and swirled over the bottom. Each half of romaine is then spread over the sour cream. Next, cook the bacon. I chose a pre-cooked bacon from TJ’s that just requires some microwaving. I like this kind because it’s fast, it doesn’t smell up my kitchen, it’s very crispy, and the package lasts a little while in the fridge. The bacon, left in full strip form, is tucked in between the leaves, so as to peak out at you with a hint of decadence and a wink. The shallot-vinegar mixture is spooned over the salad and topped with lots of chopped herbs (think dill, parsley, chives, etc.). 

Textural variety: The milky sour cream provides a smooth counterpoint to the crunchy bacon, crisp romaine stem, and soft romaine leaves. Every bite has an equal opportunity to be both crunchy and soft. 

Complementary parts: This dish has several distinct flavor elements that balance one another perfectly: creaminess of the sour cream, salty/fatty pork flavors of the bacon, tangy/acidic bite of the shallots and vinegar, and the earthy depth of the herbs. 

I didn’t like my first Alison Roman salad, but this one turned things around. This one is also what Alison calls a “knife-and-fork salad”. Yes, exactly, you need to eat it with a knife and fork. Which personally I find to be a fun activity. I like cutting up my own lettuce and bacon and distributing each ingredient to form the perfect bite. Some might call this “playing with my food.” I call it “craft time.”

I’ve now eaten this salad many times. I love that I don’t need to chop the romaine or toss it before serving. The assembly is so simple, especially if you follow my bacon recommendation, and it’s full of pleasing flavors. I’ve made this for lunch, for guests, for a casual date night dinner, and for a midday snack. And I’ve gotten flexible with the ingredients. A couple of sliced cherry tomatoes. Shaved carrot. A different dressing. As long as the same elements of something salty/fatty, something creamy, and something tangy/acidic are at play, it’s bound to be a great salad. 

47 recipes cooked, 178 to go.