Tomato and Peach Salad with Sweet Use of Seasonal Fruits – Twin Cities

Sometimes the best dish on a brunch or dinner table is one made with just two or three simple ingredients.

In the last fading days of summer, there is no more magical combination for a fresh salad so simple than tomatoes still warm from the sun and tree-ripened local peaches.

Both fruits are wonderfully juicy and super sweet and just go together like the proverbial peas and carrots. Plus, they’re easy to find at your favorite farmers’ market if you shop and eat according to the season. But the best reason to go for this easy salad is its flavor. Now tomatoes actually taste like tomatoes and peaches like peaches. In autumn, industrially grown fruits are used again, which are often beautiful but completely tasteless.

When shopping, look for fruit that has no bruises or stains. If you don’t prepare the salad for a day or so, it may not be quite ripe yet, as both tomatoes and peaches ripen on your kitchen counter. Both should feel heavy for their size and not be too firm, soft, or puffy; Peaches with a wrinkled skin are old. Also, hold it up to your nose and breathe in. The fruit should smell wonderful – like summer itself.

To easily remove the peach skin, cut a small X through the skin at the bottom of the fruit, blanch in boiling water (or run under a very hot faucet) for about 10 seconds, then place in ice water. The skin should slide off immediately. It’s not 100% necessary, but I also like to pit my tomatoes before slicing them into wedges.

While this recipe works best with large, beautiful old tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes work well too—just make sure they’re fresh and summer ripe. To make a meal out of this, you can add 3 cups of diced and toasted sourdough bread to the mixture to make a savory panzanella.

Tomato Peach Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large, ripe peaches (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored and cut into wedges
• 2 pounds superripe tomatoes (about 4 medium tomatoes), seeded and cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced ​​red onion or shallot
• 1/2 cup high-quality balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional
• 1 cup toasted pecan or walnut chunks
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Place tomatoes, peaches, and onions in a large serving bowl.
2. In another small bowl, stir together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour the mixture over the tomatoes, peaches and onions and stir well.
3. Let the fruit marinate for 15-20 minutes. Just before serving, fold in the feta, nuts, and basil.
4. Alternatively, place sliced ​​peaches, tomatoes, and onions on a large plate. Drizzle over the vinaigrette and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Just before serving, fold in the feta, nuts, and basil.

For 4 people.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette