Burrata Crostini with Ikura and Yuzu Pepper

I am a huge burrata fan. Whenever I see the Italian cheese on the menu, 90% of the time I order it. That creamy and soft cheese is so wonderful with leafy greens on a toasted slice of french baguette. The burrata appetizers I order are always an Italian or Californian themed dish. But recently, I was so surprised to see Burrata Crostini with Ikura and Yuzu Pepper on a menu in a Japanese restaurant.

Japanese Twist on Burrata Crostini

I never imagined that my favorite burrata would go so well with Japanese flavors. But I can’t take credit for the discovery. This amazing idea of combining burrata cheese, ikura (red caviar), and yuzu pepper (yuzu kosho) was served at my new favorite Japanese restaurant – Kemuri Japanese Barú in Redwood City, California.

This Japanese-style Burrata Crostini blew us away. Mr. JOC and I loved this dish so much that we had to recreate it at home. So thank you Kemuri Baru for inspiring us with your wonderful version of this dish!

The creaminess of the burrata, the salty and unique texture of the red caviar, the spicy and citrusy taste of the yuzu paste, and the fresh peppery arugula leaf on top of toasted baguette. It’s a harmony of flavors and colors. If you can get yuzu pepper paste – which is a famous condiment from Kyushu (a region in southeastern Japan) – this crostini will be taken to the next level of amazingness!

What is Burrata?

For those of you who have never tried burrata, it’s a special type of fresh semi-soft Italian cheese made from cow or water buffalo’s milk. It has a solid outer curd made from fresh mozzarella (but burrata is not mozzarella cheese) and it’s filled with a soft curd and fresh cream. It has a buttery and milky flavor with a very creamy texture.

The unique part about this cheese is that when you slice it open, the creamy center flows out, making it great for topping a crostini or salad!

5 Ingredients to Make Burrata Crostini

There are 5 ingredients to make this dish: Burrata, ikura (red caviar), arugula, yuzu pepper, and French baguette.

1. Burrata Cheese – Get a quality brand of burrata cheese. In these photos, I used a burrata cheese from Trader Joe’s. Although I am a huge fan of TJ’s, I wasn’t impressed with the burrata cheese from the store as it wasn’t very creamy.
2. Ikura (salmon roe) – Salmon roe be found in Japanese grocery stores, gourmet grocery stores, or conveniently on Amazon. Japanese grocery stores sell smaller portion size (a package of 0.10 lb ikura for $4.50 ($44.99/lb)), in case you don’t need a 4-oz can of red caviar from Amazon.
3. Arugula – Arugula is the perfect addition to this crostini, as it has a peppery taste to counterpart the milky creaminess from burrata. It also adds a refreshing taste to the dish.
4. Yuzu Kosho – Yuzu pepper paste has a spicy, salty, and citrusy taste. It’s strong, so a tiny bit of paste goes a long way.
5. French Baguette – Grab a really good French baguette with a nice crispy crunchy crust.

What is Yuzu Pepper (Yuzu Kosho)?

Yuzu Pepper or Yuzu Kosho is a spicy Japanese condiment made of yuzu zest, green chiles and salt. It’s a specialty of Kyushu cuisine, a region in southeastern Japan. When we were in Kyushu last summer, we enjoyed yuzu kosho in many different dishes. The most surprising way to enjoy yuzu kosho was to add it into miso soup! I love that spicy kick!

Yuzu Kosho can be found in Japanese grocery stores or on Amazon. My favorite jar of yuzu kosho paste is the one in the picture above.

If you are looking to host a Japanese-theme party for the holidays this year, it’s definitely worth getting these unique ingredients. They may look like a million bucks, both ikura and yuzu pepper are surprisingly affordable. Also, you want to check out this delicious spread for more Japanese party recipes. And serve these burrata crostini for an appetizer. They will surely make an impression at the party even before dinner is served.

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