Kitchen Party 2025 contender chef Abigail López (Everyday Food Company) makes this salad with BC Blue Jay peppers from the Italian Centre but you could make them with regular bell peppers too.
“I picked up these purple peppers at the Italian Centre. If you can’t find the purple, use regular bell peppers.” –chef Abigail López, Everyday Food Company.
| 1 | Blue Jay pepper (about 290 g) |
| ½ sm | container (150 g) cherry tomatoes |
| 1 sm | container yellow grape tomatoes |
| 50 g | fresh basil leaves |
| 1 | English cucumber |
| 1 | ball truffle burrata |
| 1 T | extra virgin olive oil |
| sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper | |
| drizzle | honey |
Wash all produce thoroughly. Halve the cherry and grape tomatoes, then place them in a bowl. Slice the Blue Jay pepper into strips and add to the tomatoes. Season and toss gently to coat. Set aside to marinate while you make the dressing.
Basil Cucumber Dressing
Peel the cucumber, remove the seeds and juice it along with a handful of basil leaves. If you don’t have a juicer, blend the cucumber and basil, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to extract the liquid.
Stir in a drizzle of honey and the oil; whisk until well combined.
To serve: Arrange the marinated tomatoes and peppers on a serving plate. Spoon a small amount of the dressing onto the plate. Tear the truffle burrata into small pieces and nestle among the vegetables.
Finish with small fresh basil leaves for a bright aromatic touch. Serve immediately.
Serves 2-3.