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Christmas burrata salad with stewed pear and Parma ham

This burrata salad is the dish you want to present when it matters. The combination of soft burrata, sweet stewed pear, crunchy walnuts and savoury Parma ham is surprising yet familiar. The dressing made with pear syrup and balsamic hits all the flavour notes: sweet, sour, savoury. Arrange everything on a beautiful large serving platter and you have a Christmas starter that looks professionally done with minimal effort.

Recipe

Christmas burrata salad with stewed pear and Parma ham

An elegant Christmas salad with creamy burrata, juicy stewed pear, crunchy nuts and paper-thin carrot ribbons in a balsamic dressing. Quick to assemble, beautiful on the table.

Course Starter
Kitchen Italian-inspired
Servings 6 servings

Preparation time

Preparation time 20 min
Total 20 min

Equipment

  • Large serving platter
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Frying pan
  • Mixing bowl
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Small bowl (for the dressing)

Ingredients

  • 2 balls burrata (about 125 g each)
  • 1 jar stewed pears (720 ml), including syrup
  • 150 g mixed salad leaves (such as lamb's lettuce, radicchio or arugula)
  • 2 carrots (about 150 g)
  • 8 slices Parma ham
  • 80 g walnuts
  • 1 shallot
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to make a Christmas burrata salad with stewed pear and Parma ham?

    1. Finely chop the shallot. Drain the stewed pears and reserve 2 tablespoons of the syrup per serving. That syrup is the flavour base of your dressing, so don’t throw it away.
    2. Whisk the pear syrup with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and chopped shallot in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and season with freshly ground black pepper. Add salt only if the dressing needs it, as the Parma ham and burrata are already salty.
    3. Roughly chop the walnuts and toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Shake the pan regularly so they colour evenly but don’t burn. Once they’re fragrant, remove from the heat. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
    4. Peel the carrots and shave them into very thin, long ribbons with a peeler. Toss the carrot ribbons with one third of the dressing so they soften slightly and absorb the flavours.
    5. Toss the mixed salad leaves with two thirds of the dressing and spread this as a base on a large serving platter. Distribute the leaves evenly so you have a nice foundation for the rest of the ingredients.
    6. Slice the stewed pear lengthwise into thin slices. Fan the slices out and scatter them over the salad. This gives the platter the festive look that suits Christmas.
    7. Twist or fold the slices of Parma ham into loose rose shapes and distribute them among the pear slices. Lightly place the carrot ribbons on top.
    8. Tear the burrata ball open over the salad so the creamy interior flows out. Place the pieces of burrata on the salad and sprinkle everything with the toasted walnuts and a few sprigs of fresh thyme or basil for colour.
    9. Serve immediately. Burrata is at its best at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving.

A few things that make the difference. Toast the walnuts just before serving, because warm nuts on a cold salad give a lovely contrast. Shave the carrot as thinly as possible with your peeler—the thinner, the more elegant it looks and the better the dressing soaks in. You can make the dressing an hour ahead: the flavours will only improve. And always keep the pear syrup, because that’s why this dressing works. Want croutons? Fry cubes of stale bread in butter with garlic. Note: the dish will then no longer be gluten-free.

Variations and storage: if you don’t have jarred stewed pears, use a ripe roasted pear from the oven with a drizzle of honey as a substitute for the syrup. Walnuts can be replaced with pecans or hazelnuts if you prefer. Burrata doesn’t keep long, so always assemble the salad just before serving. The dressing keeps fine for a day in a sealed jar in the fridge. The carrot ribbons can be prepared a few hours ahead and stored in the fridge until needed.