Name: Roasted Artichoke and Mozzarella Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil (divided); 14 ounce can or jar artichoke hearts (drained and rinsed); 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning (divided); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 3 cups fresh arugula; 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved); 1 medium red onion (halved and sliced); 3 tbsp capers (drained); 3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped); 2 tbsp fresh basil (sliced); 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 8 ounces small fresh Mozzarella balls (cut in half); Sprigs of herbs to garnish; Salt and pepper

There’s some weird looking stuff out there in the vegetable world – and artichokes are definitely on that list! In fact, artichokes are actually the bud of a flower, a type of thistle but it is an edible one. In the centre of the bud is the heart which is a meaty core (well, in vegetable terms) that is great to use in a whole range of recipes. And here’s one example – roasted artichoke and mozzarella salad.

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6 types of mozzarella cheese?

Before we dive into that vegetable/thistle thing, let’s take a moment to check out the mozzarella. Now I’m a big cheese fan but I never realised there are loads of different types of this versatile cheese – for me, there’s the grated stuff for pizzas and the balls that are used for all sorts of recipes. But there are at least six different types:

Fresh mozzarella – this is mild in flavour and comes in plastic bags or containers with water and whey in them. Balls are around the size of an orange while Bocconcini is smaller and Ciliegine is about the size of a cherry.
Grated or mass-produced mozzarella – sold in bags without liquid, it is a little rubberier and is best when it is melted such as on pizzas
Mozzarella di Bufala – or buffalo mozzarella was originally made from water buffalo milk but is now usually made from bow’s and is richer in flavour
Burrata – this is a ball mozzarella with a creamy, thick centre that makes for a very creamy version of the cheese
Smoked mozzarella – any type that has been smoked in some way including hickory, chestnut and apple wood
Scamorza – closely related to mozzarella, this also comes in a ball and is either plain or smoked with less water content

A quick note – in this recipe, we are using fresh Mozzarella balls, the smaller size that are cut into halves. But feel free to swap around and try other types!

Two types of mozzarella — Two of the types of mozzarella

How to select the best artichoke

As with lots of fresh food, there is a trick or two to getting the best, freshest and tastiest item when you are shopping. Squeeze the leaves and if there’s a weird squeaking noise, these are the freshest. Don’t be afraid to try the smaller, baby artichokes too as these have the same flavour but are more tender. They aren’t immature or a smaller variety – they literally are just younger!

You can also cheat a little by using artichokes from a jar, so you don’t have to do much preparation!

Yield: 4 people