Salad days

Not all visitors to Deer Valley complex in Park City, Utah, want stick-to-your-ribs carbohydrates. For them, Clark Norris, executive chef at Silver Lake, created this satisfying salad for diners at Mariposa.

Buratta inspired Chef Clark to develop this Caprese style salad.

"The individual portion of Buratta preserves its 'stuffed' nature, allowing the guest to cut through the firm outer mozzarella 'shell' and release the creamy fresh mozzarella center to mingle with the rest of the salad," says chef.

The result? In Chef Clark's words, "Caprese Nirvana!"

The Mariposa's Burrata, Fresh Basil and Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
16 oz. cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved
4 4 oz. balls of Burrata Mozzarella cheese (available from Gioia Cheese Inc.)
4 oz. petit basil
4 oz. wild baby arugula
4 oz. extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. aged balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, sliced into 8 vertical wedges
sea salt (granulates of small flakes)
fresh ground pepper blend (5-peppercorn blend is best)

Place halved tomatoes into a mixing bowl and dress with 2 oz. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of ground pepper.
Divide dressed tomatoes onto four 10-inch plates, placing tomatoes in a ring that leaves a 1-inch circular margin between the rim of the plate.
In a mixing bowl, dress the basil and arugula. tossing with 1 oz. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.
Place dressed basil and arugula inside the ring of tomatoes, hollowing center slightly if necessary so you can place a seasoned ball of Buratta on top without its rolling off.
Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil (1-2 oz.) and aged balsamic vinegar (1 TBS.) to taste, around the edge of the plate inside the 1-inch margin.
Finish each salad with a squeeze of fresh lemon, one wedge's worth, over the cheese, greens and tomatoes.
Serve immediately.