Watermelon, Prosciutto & Burrata Salad

By tonya370

This is adapted from a David Burke recipe in People Magazine. I served this salad with crusty bread and the basil olive oil for dipping on a hot summer night. It was so good!

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, plus more for garnish
• 1 garlic clove, roasted or boiled
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil, plus additional 1 tablespoon
• 6 cups cubed watermelon, chilled
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 package burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 8 thin prosciutto slices
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 8 to 10 mint leaves, slivered

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Blanch basil leaves in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into ice bath. Drain and pat leaves dry. Place garlic clove in boiling water for a few minutes to soften, if not using roasted garlic.

Place basil leaves, garlic and olive oil in a blender and process until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth set over a bowl. Let stand until oil drips through, about 10 minutes. Discard solids.

Combine cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl; toss to coat. Place watermelon on a serving dish. Top watermelon evenly with tomato mixture; drizzle generously with basil oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently stir in arugula leaves. Top with cheese and prosciutto slices. Drizzle with basil oil and crushed red pepper. Garnish with thinly sliced basil and mint.