I’m blessed with “food memory.” I can often recall a meal, whom I was with, where, and even what I was wearing. But the most important part about this is that often I can recreate the meal. For instance, “that salad from Catania, Sicily” is one that I safely set away in my brain until it was peach season. Besides a handful of non-negotiables, this salad can really bend to your wishes.
The non-negotiables: Peaches (or nectarines if you are peach fuzz avoidant); Mixed lettuce greens (you decide which); Soft cheese (you decide); Nuts (you decide which, and if you want to toast them, or not); Soft herbs (mint and basil for sure, others if you like); and a vinaigrette. Even the non-negotiables are negotiable and loaded with choices. Optional add-ins could be poached chicken, salmon, shrimp, tuna, grilled tofu, or…. Nothing else.
Grilling peaches or nectarines add a nice subtle smokiness and slight bitter caramel flavor. I used an indoor grill, however, a quick, very hot pan-sear in a sauté pan works nicely, too.
Arliano Update (Aggiornamento Arliano):
Last winter and early spring there was a lot of rain, and a lot of rain equals a lot of fruit. It’s exciting to have so much fruit, but non-supported branches are breaking all across Lucca and surrounding areas especially when there are wind storms. We’ve had to support some branches from our little apple tree with a ladder (and to think the tree only produced 5 apples last year!). Did you know that there’s a phenomenon called a “July drop”? I did a little research about why so many of our apples were dropping to the ground. As it turns out, it’s the tree forcing them to drop to allow others to grow bigger and healthier. Who knew?! Down the road a cherry plum tree is so full it was bowing and blocking our exit. We had to pull branches the size of forearms off to the side to allow our car to pass. When the cherry plums ripen I’ll have to make a few jars of my Cherry Plum Jam, one of the few posts I’ve had go viral!
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Essence of Summer Salad with Prosecco Vinaigrette (a.k.a. “That Salad from Catania”)
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe, but not mushy, peach or nectarine, pit removed and cut into 8 wedges
- 2 large handfuls of mixed lettuce greens (any type that you like)
- 1 small or 1/2 of a large burrata (or any other soft cheese)
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped nuts (walnuts, pistacchio, hazelnuts, pecans…) You decide if you want to toast them or not
- 1 small bunch EACH of basil and mint leaves-only, roughly chopped
- Vinaigrette as needed (you will have leftovers). Vinaigrette ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup brut prosecco (or any dry white wine, or white wine vinegar), 1 teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)
- Drizzle of olive oil for grilling or pan searing the peach or nectarine wedges
- Sprinkle of finishing salt for the top of the salad
- Optional: poached chicken (see headnote for link to perfectly poached chicken breasts), salmon, shrimp, tuna, grilled tofu
Directions
- Remove the pit from the peach or nectarine and cut it into 8 wedges. Heat a grill or sauté pan and grill/sauté the wedges until they are slightly caramelized. You’ll want to do this first, so they have time to cool and won’t wilt the lettuce
- Make the vinaigrette by whisking all the vinaigrette ingredients well. Set it aside
- In a large mixing bowl, add the lettuce, roughly chopped herbs (basil and mint) and a tablespoon of vinaigrette and toss well. (Use more or less vinaigrette to your liking)
- Transfer the tossed lettuce and herbs to a serving plate and add the remaining ingredients on top of the lettuce. Add a drizzle of vinaigrette on top of the peaches or nectarine wedges and sprinkle with a finishing salt (e.g., Maldon, or sea salt)
Greg Nelson Cooks 