Grilled Peach Salad.

09 August 2012

We’re always trying to come up with good summer salad ideas.  My “usual” is romaine with green apple, feta, craisins, pecans and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.  It’s tried and true, but sometimes we want something different.  {If you’d like that recipe, I wrote about it here.}

My mother in law asked me to bring a salad for her birthday dinner so Dave and I started brainstorming ideas.  Peaches are in season here so we went with a grilled peach salad.  We are also dumb asses that totally forgot that my inlaws have a peach tree in their backyard and we could have just picked them!  I whipped up an easy {the blender does all the work!} basil red onion vinaigrette and it was a great combo with the sweet, caramelized peaches courtesy of the Davester’s mad grilling skillz. 

I would totally make this one again.

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For the Salad:

  • baby spinach {I’m lazy, so I just buy a bag of baby spinach}
  • pecans {1/4 – 1/2 cup}
  • bleu cheese {1 to 2 TB per person}
  • peaches {plan on 1/2 peach per person}
  • sugar {a couple TB just to allow the peaches to caramelize on the grill}

For the Basil, Red Onion Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 10 – 20 fresh basil leaves
  • 3 TB lime, juiced
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • quarter wedge of red onion

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Toast the pecans lightly in a pan on the stovetop. Be sure to watch closely and shake pan often. Allow to cool.

Preheat the grill to medium high.  You can also use a grill pan or even a George Foreman if you’d like.  With a paring knife, slice the peach around the pit.  I attempt to get them into quarters, but sometimes you’ll have a smaller piece.  Just before grilling, sprinkle a small amount of sugar over the cut edges of the peaches.   According to the Davester, you will grill for 2-3 minutes per cut edge, watching closely.   Allow to cool.

In a blender, add 1/4 of a red onion.  {I just cut a wedge out of the onion.}  Add 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of cider vinegar, 3 Tablespoons of fresh lime juice.  Blend for 1 minute on high.  Add in 10 basil leaves.  Blend for 30 seconds.  Dip in a spinach leaf and test, if you’d like {we really like a basil punch so we added more} add in 10 more basil leaves and blend 30 more seconds.  Store covered in the refrigerator if making in advance and give it a little shake before serving.   

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Dress the salad just before serving. 

Add spinach to a bowl.  Add salad dressing slowly to coat leaves and toss.  {You will not use all of the dressing you made!}  Once spinach is dressed, plate the salads adding bleu cheese crumbles, pecans, and the grilled peach. 

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If you’d like more grilled peaches, check out grilled peaches + pineapple that makes a delish summery dessert.

5 comments:

Bunny @ 86n It said...

yum!
Love grilled peaches!

Anonymous said...

That looks delicious!

@JessEsco said...

Wow. Awesome.

Stefanie Blakely said...

Yummy! That looks so delicious-- I'll have to try your dressing recipe!!

Michelle said...

I knew I forgot to add something! Stefanie also posted about her awesome basil dressing in the comments of the pesto post. Check it out!!

http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2012/08/how-to-make-pesto.html

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