In his new cookbook, Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends, music producer Benny Blanco proves his expertise in the kitchen as well as the recording studio.
“Cooking is scary,” Blanco, 36, shares exclusively in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “Throwing a dinner party … forget about it. But I promise you, Open Wide is gonna be the secret handbook in your back pocket.”
Full of tips and tricks, delicious recipes, anecdotes about famous friends (including SZA, whom Blanco revealed is a big fan of his cooking) and even a playlist, Open Wide is sure to enhance your next gathering.
“You can pull [my book] out any time you want to impress some guests,” Blanco adds.
The music producer also shared one of his most crowd-pleasing recipes, a caprese salad, with Us. Packed with flavorful veggies and layered with melted burrata, this recipe is bound to please even the pickiest of eaters.
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Keep scrolling for the full recipe:
Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends is out now.
Caprese With Roasted Pepper and Burrata
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 red or orange bell peppers, halved and seeded
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- ½ tsp truffle oil
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 (6- to 8-oz) balls burrata or fresh mozzarella, torn
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
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Instructions
- Preheat your broiler with the rack in the upper third of the oven. Place the peppers, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until well charred. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic. Let steam 10 to 20 minutes until softened and cool enough to handle. Discard the skin by rubbing it with a paper towel. You don’t have to remove the skin, but it feels a bit better to eat if you do. Slice into strips and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the Dijon, balsamic, honey, mayo and truffle oil. Whisk until well combined. Spread on the bottom of a plate or platter.
- Build the salad on top of the dressing, sprinkling the peppers and tomatoes to fill the plate. Nestle the torn burrata into the veggies. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with basil leaves.
