BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
There’s always that strange little window in Colorado when the calendar says fall, but the farmers market is still hanging onto a few remnants of summer. This is what I’m making with the last of the stone fruit before we officially surrender to apples, squash and everything cozy. Warm, jammy plums (or apricots or peaches or pears, whatever you want, you make the rules!) meets creamy burrata and a balsamic glaze with just enough grainy mustard to pull the whole thing in a savory direction. Add toasted bread with a green salad on the side and call it an appetizer, or, what we call dinner in this house now that we’re nearly empty-nesters.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely minced
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup good-quality balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1 tsp dark brown sugar
Pinch of ground cloves
4 plums, peaches or nectarines (again, this is dealer’s choice), sliced into wedges
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 large ball of burrata
Toasted baguette slices, for serving
arugula salad on the side to ward off guilt
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add the shallot and salt and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is soft and translucent.
Add the balsamic vinegar, grainy mustard, thyme, brown sugar and cloves. Stir together and increase the heat slightly, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Add the sliced stone fruit and toss gently to coat. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring carefully, until the fruit has softened but still holds its shape and the balsamic mixture has reduced into a glossy, syrupy glaze.
Taste and season with additional salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
Place the burrata on a serving plate and spoon the warm fruit and balsamic-mustard glaze over and around it. Finish with fresh thyme and a little more cracked pepper.
Devour immediately if not sooner. Enjoy!