Coeur de Bœuf, Burrata & Charentais Salad

The salad

• 2 x 125 g burrata, out of the fridge 20–30 min before serving
• 2 coeur de bœuf tomatoes, large, cored and cut into thick wedges
• 0.5 Charentais melon, skin removed, cut into wedges or thick batons
• 0.5 red onion, small, sliced wafer-thin
• 0 a handful basil, torn
• 0 a handful mint, spearmint (Marokkanische Minze); avoid peppermint

Lime dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a final thread to finish
• 1 lime, juice of ½ (add the other half for lactose-free burrata); zest of ½ to finish
• 0 to taste black pepper, a generous grind
• 0 to taste flaky salt, ½ tsp for the tomato, plus more to finish

Prepare

1. 1

   Take 2 × 125 g burrata out of the fridge 20–30 min before serving — you want a soft centre without it going slack.

   1m
2. 2

   Core 2 large coeur de bœuf tomatoes and cut into thick wedges. Lay on a plate, season with ½ tsp flaky salt, leave 15 min, then tip off the liquid that pools.

   15m

   Salting first concentrates the tomato instead of letting it weep into the plate and dilute the dressing.

   Salting and Draining Vegetables
3. 3

   Cut ½ Charentais melon into wedges or thick batons with the skin removed.

   3m
4. 4

   Slice ½ small red onion wafer-thin; soak 10 min in cold water to soften the bite, then drain.

   10m

Dress and assemble

1. 5

   Whisk the dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil, the juice of ½ lime (add the other half if using lactose-free burrata, which reads sweeter) and a generous grind of black pepper — no extra salt yet.

   2m
2. 6

   Arrange tomato and melon on a platter and scatter the onion. Tear the burrata over the top and spoon the dressing across.

   3m
3. 7

   Tear over a handful of basil and a handful of mint. Finish with the grated zest of ½ lime and a final thread of olive oil. Taste and adjust salt and lime.

   2m

   Citrus Zest Oil Infusion

   Tip: The zest lifts the dish with aroma without adding more acid or watering the dressing down.