Safari Stripes Cheese Meats (Printer-Friendly)

Alternating strips of fresh cheeses and seared meats finished with a balsamic glaze and fresh basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese

01 - 8.8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 0.4 inch thick strips
02 - 7 oz feta cheese, sliced into 0.4 inch thick strips

→ Meats

03 - 7 oz beef tenderloin, cut into 0.4 inch thick strips
04 - 7 oz chicken breast, cut into 0.4 inch thick strips
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Balsamic Glaze

07 - 4 fl oz balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tbsp honey

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh basil leaves
10 - Cracked black pepper

# Method:

01 - Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened and syrupy. Allow to cool.
02 - Season beef strips with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef strips for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just cooked. Remove and set aside.
03 - Season chicken strips with salt and pepper. Using the same skillet, sear chicken strips for 1 to 2 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
04 - Arrange mozzarella, feta, cooked beef, and chicken strips alternately in rows on a serving platter to create a striped pattern.
05 - Drizzle the cooled balsamic glaze generously over the meat strips. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like restaurant plating but takes barely 40 minutes from start to table.
  • The contrast of cool cheese against warm, glossy meat strips hits all your senses at once.
  • Works equally well as a standalone appetizer or nestled into a larger spread.
02 -
  • Don't slice your cheese or meat too far ahead or everything starts to sweat and loses its clean appearance; aim for 5 to 10 minutes before assembly at most.
  • The balsamic glaze thickens as it cools, so if it becomes too thick, thin it with just a teaspoon of vinegar to get it back to a drizzly consistency.
03 -
  • Slice everything just thick enough to hold together but thin enough to feel elegant on the bite; a quarter-inch is the sweet spot.
  • If your balsamic is particularly acidic, add an extra half teaspoon of honey to round it out and make it less sharp.
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