I looked for peaches and remembered they are not quite in season yet. I bought peaches at the Chicago French Market but I would wait a few weeks to make this recipe until the California peaches come to market.
Was it the best recipe I’ve ever made?...close!
The recipe is from Cooking Light and minimalism has never looked so stunning. I love the colorful combination of the peaches and tomatoes which creates a salad that goes really well with BBQ pork or chicken.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Ingredients
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
3 ripe peaches, pitted and each cut into 8 wedges (about 1 pound)
1/2 pound heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
1/2 pound heirloom cherry or pear tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup greens
Preparation
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over peach mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.
Here is another salad recipe with peaches and tomatoes adding the great taste of Parma Ham:
Parma Ham, Peach and Tomato Salad
1 ripe peach
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ripe tomatoes
8 slices Parma ham, very finely sliced
basil leaves
mint leaves
2tbsp gentle extra-virgin olive oil
Slice the peaches in half, gently twisting the peach to release the flesh from the stone. Then slice each half into four. Cut the tomatoes into halves or rounds depending on their size. Divide all the tomatoes among four plates. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the Parma ham and peaches among the plates and add the basil and mint. Season with a little more black pepper and finish with a good drizzle of the olive oil. Serve immediately.
I make this BBQ Sauce all summer when peaches are in their prime. It’s great on chicken but can also be used on BBQ pork.
I thought it was a little strange the first time I made it because you use both fresh and canned peaches. The combination gives this sauce a great flavor and like any traditional cajun recipe, includes the holy trinity – peppers, onion and celery.
Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce For Chicken
3 fresh Peaches, peeled and diced
2 cans firm sliced peaches
1 cup brown sugar
4 Cups hot water
2 chicken bouillion cubes
½ cup bell pepper, finely chopped
½ cup celery, chopped fine
½ cup onion, chopped fine
1 bat leaf
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp red pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
½ stick margarine
Dissolve bouillion cubes in 3 cups hot water. In a saucepan, add 1 cup hot water and bring to a simmer. Blend brown sugar. Add fresh, chopped peaches, lemon juice and the water from the canned peaches. Bring to a brisk simmer. Stir until liquid thickens, about 30 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, melt margarine at 300 degrees. Add bell peppers, onions, celery, and seasonings. Saute until tender, stirring frequently. Add bouillion and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a brisk simmer for 10 minutes. Add peach mixture, blending well. When sauce thickens, remove from heat. Add canned peaches. Use a hand blender, blending the ingredients for 30 seconds. This should form a heavy puree. Use this sauce to barbecue chicken under a hot grill. Serves 8.
Bon Appetit!