After a swim at the Brockwell Lido I made a selection of vegetarian dishes with Zoe and Henry. I remember having toasted coriander seeds with Burrata at Ottolenghi’s restaurant Nopi when it first opened and it made a big impression on me. I liked the idea of using unexpected aromatics against the sweet, salty gentle milkiness of the cheese. This dressing was good and I think would also work over a grilled pork chop or some barbecued fish.
Ingredients
2 mozzarella or burrata
around 5 ripe tomatoes
Dressing
½ tablespoon fennel seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
¼ lemon
How to make:
Toast the fennel and chilli briefly in a dry pan. Pound the garlic to a paste in the pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and then add the fennel and chilli and pound in. Mix in the parsley, olive oil and lemon juice in the pestle and mortar. Season to taste.
Slice the tomato and arrange on a plate. Season with salt and a touch of black pepper and lay over slices of mozzarella. Drizzle over the dressing.
Eaten with:
Potato and caper salad; aubergine, melted parmesan and red pepper with basil; green salad. White burgundy wine.
Dinner Document 