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This colorful and refreshing summer salad came together by chance the other day for my lunch. I snapped a quick pic with my iPhone and posted it on my FB profile. That plain image had so many likes and the salad was so good, that I decided to recreate it and take some serious pics so I could share it with you.
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I happened to pick up some wonderful, sweet and crunchy white peaches at the market and, while I was prepping a regular Caprese (tomato & mozzarella), I thought: I bet a sliced peach would be good in this. I started playing with colors and thought some avocado would look good, too. The asparagus were an afterthought, and only because I had some leftover from the night before. They are not needed, and are actually overkill.
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This is not a recipe per se, more a list of ingredients that are then assembled together. So here goes….
HEIRLOOM TOMATO, WHITE PEACH & BURRATA SUMMER SALAD WITH BASIL & BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
I know, long title, but that is how I would list it on a menu.
Yields: as many portions as you add ingredients. The one in these photos is a good meal for one person who eats nothing else, or an appetizer for two/three. I will list the ingredients alongside how much I used for what you see in the images.
– heirloom tomatoes of choice (today I used half red and half yellow smallish tomatoes for colors)
– crunchy white peaches (I used half a large one, and ate the rest while prepping)
– ripe but firm avocados (I used half)
– lemon juice for the avocado (I used a whole one)
– fresh burrata cheese (I used about half, but that would depend on the size)
– fresh basil
– sea salt
– extra-virgin olive oil
– high quality balsamic vinegar, the syrupy kind, or balsamic reduction
– cooked asparagus if desired, but not necessary
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TOMATOES: slice as desired. The first time I did round slices, this time I decided for wedges.
PEACHES: slice in wedges, thin-ish if the peach is crunchy.
AVOCADO: peel and slice as desired, place in a bowl and drizzle in abundant lemon juice. You will discard the lemon juice when using the avocado for the salad.
BURRATA: break into organic pieces with your fingers.
ASPARAGUS: if you are going to include the asparagus, boil them for 2-3 minutes in hot salted water with a teaspoon of sugar to retain the bright green color. Then place them in a iced water bath to stop the cooking. Pat dry.
BASIL: place a few basil leaves one on top of the other with the largest on at the bottom, roll up tight and cross-slice into a thin julienne.
COMPLETION: Assemble the salad on individual plates or serving platter. Sprinkle with sea salt, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, then with the balsamic vinegar or reduction. Sprinkle with basil and serve.
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The refreshing medley of fruits and vegetables balances out the richness of the burrata. Though I like them very much, I personally think the asparagus are not necessary, but since I used them in my first round and people had seen them, I thought I would add them again today.
If you are in Hawai’i, divine ripe mangoes can be a good substitute for peaches. I also prefer white peaches to yellow as they have a less acidic and more delicate flavor that suits the salad. But if yellow are all you have, they will be just fine. Also, white peaches and basil are a match made in heaven!
This salad is perfect for summer parties, picnics and potlucks. If you take it to a picnic or potluck, you might want to wait dressing it till ready to serve.
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