By: Molly Moss
Comfort, Sides,

Grilled Peaches with Burrata and Prosciutto XO Sauce

Sweet and jammy grilled peaches and fresh burrata are slathered in an Italian inspired version of Chinese XO sauce, using prosciutto and anchovies instead of the traditional ham and dried seafood. Don’t fear the anchovies in this recipe, they simply provide additional oomph to the already heavy amounts of umami, but you won’t be able to discern their flavor once mixed in with everything else. Scoop it all up with crusty bread and enjoy with copious amounts of red wine.

Traditional XO Sauce and why this adaptation works

A lesson in the art of umami, traditional XO sauce combines dried seafood (usually shrimp and scallops), salty cured Jinhua ham, and lots of aromatics (garlic, chilies, ginger) and sauces (usually soy and oyster). It’s funky and intense, but it works, and you will want to slather it on pretty much everything. For a traditional XO sauce recipe, check out this write up by Serious Eats.

The XO sauce in this recipe is in no way traditional. I’ve swapped the dried seafood and jinhua ham with their Italian counterparts: prosciutto and oil packed anchovies. Balsamic vinegar replaces shaoxing wine for sweetness and acid, but I keep the oyster and soy sauces. The result is bracingly savory, sweet, and salty all at once. You don’t really taste the anchovies once everything cooks down to a jammy consistency, but the umami shines through.

The XO sauce recipe makes more than you will need for this dish alone. Save the rest and enjoy it on eggs, with cheese and crackers, on grilled meats or fish, or on noodles.

Why it all works together

The grilled peaches bring sweetness and subtle smoke and prosciutto XO cuts through the richness of the delectably creamy burrata. Everything begins to melt into each other, which makes it perfect for scooping up with crusty bread. You could certainly just make grilled beaches with burrata and balsamic, but the prosciutto XO takes it to another level of flavor and uniqueness.

grilled peaches on bread
Grilled Peaches with Burrata and Prosciutto XO Sauce
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Grilled Peaches with Burrata and Prosciutto XO Sauce

Recipe by Molly MossCourse: AppetizersCuisine: Italian, ChineseDifficulty: Moderate
Servings

4

servings
Total time

45

minutes

Sweet and jammy grilled peaches and fresh burrata are slathered in an Italian inspired version of traditional Chinese XO sauce, using prosciutto and anchovies instead of the traditional ham and dried seafood.

Ingredients

  • For the Prosciutto XO Sauce

  • 3 oz prosciutto

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil

  • 3 oil packed anchovies

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 shallot, finely minced

  • 1 inch ginger, finely minced

  • 1 thai chili, finely minced

  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, seperated

  • ⅓ cup low sodium broth

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce

  • ½ tbsp soy sauce

  • ½ tbsp brown sugar.

  • For the Grilled Peaches and Burrata

  • 2 peaches

  • Olive oil

  • 1 container burrata

  • Freshly cracked pepper

  • 2-3 tbsp prosciutto XO sauce, or more to taste

  • Torn basil and sliced scallions, for serving

  • Toasted bread, for serving

Directions

  • For the prosciutto XO sauce
  • In a food processor, pulse the prosciutto until finely chopped. Set aside.ground prosciutto
  • Combine the minced ginger, chili, shallots, and garlic in a small bowl. If the vegetables aren’t very finely minced, you can give them a pulse or two in the food processor.
  • Combine 2 tbsp balsamic, broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil.
  • Add the prosciutto and sizzle until very brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Use your spoon to stir regularly and break up the prosciutto pieces during this time. When finished, it should look close to the image below.prosciutto, after sautéing
  • Add the anchovies and use your spoon to break them up. Saute for about 1 minute.
  • Add the vegetables and continue to saute, stirring constantly, until the garlic and shallots are brown but not burnt, about 3-4 minutes. The oil should be bubbling rapidly during this process. See the picture below for a reference of what it should look like after this step.Prosciutto and vegetables
  • Add the liquids and simmer, stirring semi regularly, for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces significantly. There should still be a good amount of oil on top of the liquid, but the broth will have reduced.
  • Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl. Let cool. When cool, you can drain some, but not all of, the excess oil if desired. The image below shows the sauce after draining a little bit of the excess oil.Finished XO sauce
  • When cool, whisk in the additional 1 tbsp of balsamic and set aside.
  • For the grilled peaches and burrata
  • Preheat the grill
  • Cut the peaches into wide slices and coat with olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.Peaches
  • Turn the grill down to medium. Grill the peaches, cut side down, until intense grill marks form and they soften slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove.Grilled peaches
  • On a serving platter, cut the burrata into slices. Nestle the peaches in between the burrata slices to the best of your abilities. You may have 1-2 peach slices that can’t fit on the plate.
  • Drizzle with 2-3 tbsp of the XO sauce (or more to taste, see image for reference) and top with freshly ground pepper the chopped herbs.Grilled peaches with burrata and prosciutto XO
  • Optionally, drizzle some high quality olive oil over the top.
  • Enjoy with warmed bread.grilled peaches on bread

Notes

  • The prosciutto XO recipe makes more than you will need for this dish alone. Save and enjoy on just about anything, from eggs, to cheese sandwiches, to noodles.
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