grilled peach & arugula salad with white balsamic dressing

Photo by The Culinary Nest

Summer is right around the corner and to me, the complexity of flavors in this salad are the definition of summertime. The tart pickled onions, warm grilled peaches, creamy blue cheese, salty pistachios, and juicy pops of blueberries all drizzled under a blanket of a light & sweet vinaigrette… you’re welcome.

Recipe author: The Culinary Nest

MAKES

4-6 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD

4 peaches, ripe but firm

1 head red or green leaf lettuce

2 cups arugula

1/2 cup red onion, pickled (recipe below)

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup blue cheese or goat cheese

handful of roughly chopped pistachios

drizzle of white balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below)

quick PICKLED RED ONION

1 red onion, peeled, quartered & sliced

1 1/2 cups water, warm

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

*can be stored for up to one month refrigerated, best within one week

WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white balsamic

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

*can be stored for up to one month refrigerated

METHOD

• Pickle the red onion: in a medium bowl whisk the warm water, apple cider vinegar, salt and sugar together until dissolved. Slice a half of a red onion into half moons and submerge into the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside while you prep the rest. The longer these sit, the more pickled the red onion will become.

• Grill the peaches: start by halving your peaches, removing the pit, and drizzle the cut surface with extra virgin olive oil. Place cut side down onto a grill over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes until grill lines appear but peaches are still firm. Remove from heat and set aside.

• Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, whisk together the white balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, and sugar until combined and sugar is dissolved, 2-3 minutes.

• Wash thoroughly and rough chop the lettuce to your desired bite (I like mine where you can easily place a bite into your mouth without making a mess but not much smaller than that!). Add arugula, grilled peaches, blueberries, blue or goat cheese, and crushed pistachios.

• Drizzle lightly with the white balsamic vinaigrette and serve immediately. (This can be made ahead but do not dress the salad until ready to serve.)