Safari Stripes Cheese Meats (Print Version)

Creamy mozzarella and feta layered with balsamic-glazed beef and chicken, garnished with basil and pepper.

# 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thick and syrupy. Allow to cool.
02 - Season beef and chicken strips with salt and black 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. Repeat with chicken strips.
03 - Arrange cheese and cooked meat strips in alternating rows on a serving platter to create a striped pattern.
04 - Generously drizzle balsamic glaze over the meat strips.
05 - Decorate with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper. Serve immediately at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and looks like you spent all day preparing.
  • The sweet and salty layers make people reach for another piece before they've finished the first.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and works for almost any dietary preference with simple swaps.
02 -
  • Don't skip reducing the balsamic—straight vinegar tastes sharp and runny, but the reduced version becomes silky and clings to the meat.
  • Room temperature is key; if the cheese is cold and the meat still warm, the flavors don't marry the way they should.
  • Slice the cheese and meat as close to serving time as possible so they don't dry out sitting on the platter.
03 -
  • Slice your ingredients slightly thicker than you think you need—they shrink as they cook, and thicker pieces are easier to arrange and more satisfying to eat.
  • Make the balsamic glaze the day before and refrigerate it; it actually tastes deeper and more complex after sitting overnight, and you'll have one less thing to do when entertaining.
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