Fresh Peach and Summer Vegetable Salad

Peach and Summer Vegetable Salad with Basil-Lemonade Dressing 

I often say, “What grows together goes together,” which is a catchy way of explaining that ingredients that are in season at the same time usually taste great together. This gorgeous salad is proof of that. Simply select the best produce you can find, arrange it attractively on a big platter, and drizzle it with this fantastic dressing that I describe as “a jar full of summer sunshine.”  

This is one of the most beautiful and delicious salads I’ve ever made. It’s full of color, texture, interest, and flavor. People rave! You will too. 

Makes 8 servings  

Dressing Ingredients  

• 2 packed cups, about 4 ounces, basil leaves and tender stems
• 6 tablespoons light fruity olive oil
• 6 tablespoons honey
• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 4 teaspoons Tabasco green jalapeño hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad Ingredients  

• 6 small ripe peaches, peeled and cut into thin wedges
• 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into thin wedges
• Corn kernels cut from 3 ears of sweet corn (see note)
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, blanched if necessary
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
• 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, drained if water-packed, and torn into large bite-size pieces
• 1 large shallot, (about 1/4 cup) thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Marcona almonds or slivered, toasted almonds
• Coarse or flaked salt, to taste
• Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
• Basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

For the dressing: 

Place the basil, olive oil, honey, lemon zest and juice, green hot sauce, salt, and black pepper in a small food processor fitted with the metal blade and process in bursts until the basil is finely chopped, but not completely pureed. Use soon, or pour into a lidded jar, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (The dressing will continue to taste great, but the bright green color fades a little over time.) 

For the salad: 

Arrange the peaches, tomatoes, corn, and sugar saps, on a large serving platter. Scatter the corn, avocado mozzarella, shallot, almonds, and basil leaves on top. Season generously with coarse salt and pepper. Spoon some of the dressing over the top and serve the rest at the table. Serve immediately.  

Note: 

If your fresh corn is so sweet and juicy that you’re tempted to eat it raw, do that! If the kernels are a tad tough, wrap each shucked ear in a damp paper towel, arrange in a single layer in the microwave, and cook on high until crisp-tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Don’t cook the corn completely; you want the pop and crunch of whole kernels.  

©Copyright 2024 Sheri Castle  

Sheri Castle, award-winning food writer and cooking teacher, is known for melding culinary expertise, storytelling and humor, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal. Her creative, well-crafted recipes and practical advice inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She's written a tall stack of cookbooks and her work appears in dozens of magazines. In 2019, the Southern Foodways Alliance named Sheri among Twenty Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.

Sheri says that she's fueled by great ingredients and the endless pursuit of intriguing stories, usually about the role that food plays in our lives, families, communities and culture.

When she steps away from the kitchen or a local farm, Sheri enjoys spending quiet time at her home near Chapel Hill. She hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.