As the heat continues, Kyle brings us a salad recipe that will send it packing. He was especially excited about this one because he’s made it so recently… he and his wife tried it for the first time just last week, paired with grilled pork chops, and they expect to enjoy it many, many more times this summer. He also liked it for the flexibility. “Any white cheese will work, in fact we used a Mexican queso fresco instead of feta for our first try. A goat cheese would be perfect; we’re looking forward to trying that next time.” You can also experiment with different varieties of store-bought or heirloom cucumbers or peaches. So get out there and get creative!
Ingredients:
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 lb. mixed heirloom cucumbers sliced into ¼”-thick wedges and rounds
- 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise
- 2 lb. yellow peaches, sliced into ¾”-thick wedges
- 4 oz. mild feta, crumbled
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Handful of basil leaves, torn if large
- Handful of mint leaves, torn if large
- 1 lemon, halved
Preparation:
Vinaigrette:
- Place shallot in a small bowl and season with a big pinch of salt. Finely grate zest from lemon into bowl; cut lemon in half and squeeze in juice. Add vinegar and toss to combine. Let sit 10 minutes.
Salad and assembly:
- Place cucumbers in a medium bowl and season with salt. Spoon half of vinaigrette over and toss gently to coat.
- Place peaches in a serving bowl or on a platter and season with salt. Spoon remaining vinaigrette over and toss gently with your hands to coat.
- Add cucumbers to peaches; toss gently again just to combine. Add feta; season with salt and pepper. Top salad with basil and mint and squeeze lemon over.
Original recipe by Kelly Mariani at Scribe Winery, on Bon Appetit
6 servings
