Grilled Peach Sangria Salad
Late summer means peach season! Rather than a sweet style dessert prepration, I’m flipping the switch and going savory to capture all that deliciously juicy warm-weather flavor for dinner.
Peaches are absolutely delicious on the grill, but if you're planning to cook up a batch, the best fruit to pick are actually the not-so-ripe firm peaches at the store. Here in New England, this usually isn't a problem since the offerings in the produce section at most grocery stores most often are abundantly stocked with them.
First, we’re going to tackle how prep the peach, including how to remove that pesky pit. To halve a peach, gently run the blade of the knife around the peach following the line in the fruit from top to bottom, as you would an avocado. Hold the peach with a paper towel, and gently twist back and forth until one side releases. To remove the pit, give it a wiggle with your thumb and pointer finger, many times it will twist right out. If the pit is stubborn, place the peach half with pit on a cutting board and carefully trace around the pit with the tip of a paring knife. Work your way around the pit to scoop it out using a dessert or regular tea spoon (whatever you'd eat your cereal with, that has a slight point at the end of it, just not a round soup spoon...). There, now the pit should be out, and you have 2 grill-able halves. If the plan goes south, don't cry, just cut the peach into quarters and move on.
Burrata cheese is a fresh cheese made from Mozzarella on the outside with a creamy center made of buffalo milk and cream. If you have trouble finding it in the store, feel free to use fresh mozzarella instead. When tearing some pieces of Burrata for the salad, be sure to catch any creamy insides in a bowl, and serve with crusty bread on the side.
How does Sangria play into all of this? Besides keeping a fresh cold pitcher at the ready for Happy Hour, the flavor inspiration here comes in the form of a tangy vinaigrette- a perfect pairing for the peaches.
'Sangria' Salad with Grilled Peaches, Burrata and Basil
makes 4 servings
For Salad:
1 firm peach
4 cups cut Boston or crisp green lettuce, washed & dried
4 oz. fresh burrata or mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. chiffonaded (thinly sliced) fresh basil leaves, about 8-10 leaves
olive oil, as needed
kosher salt and ground black pepper, as needed
Heat the grill to medium-low. Cut the peach in half, and remove the pit. Brush the peach with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Place the peaches, flat side down, onto the hot grill, and cook closed for 7-8 minutes or until just fork tender. Flip the peaches over, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove the peaches from the grill and allow to cool to room temperature. Slice into 1/4 inch thick wedges.
Tear the cheese by hand into bite sized pieces. It might get a little messy if using Burrata, so be sure to work over a bowl to catch and save any creamy insides.
Pat the salad greens dry, and place them onto a serving platter or bowl. Arrange the sliced peaches, freshly torn cheese, and basil on top of the greens. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and ground pepper. Drizzle Red Wine Sangria Vinaigrette over top of the salad, and serve.
For Red Wine Sangria Vinaigrette:
1 Tbs. juicy red wine (like Garnacha, Pinot Noir or Primitivo)
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. prepared dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey or sugar
3 Tbs. olive oil
kosher salt and ground black pepper
Whisk together the wine, vinegar, honey or sugar and Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl until fully combined and honey or sugar is dissolved. Slowly stream 3 Tbs. olive oil into the wine mixture and whisk simultaneously until the vinaigrette is smooth and slightly thickened.