Summer Peach Salad
Fayeruz made this salad with both cantaloupe and peaches.
by Fayeruz Regan 09.2023
“I could eat a peach for hours.”
It’s one of the most memorable one-liners in cinema history, uttered by Nicholas Cage. Double-entendre aside, I feel the same way. This summer I sat under my peach tree, plucking one after another. It was very Huckleberry Finn. I sat in the shade with my sticky fingers, dripping chin and, while this indulgence may not have lasted for hours, I had to change my shirt afterward. It was covered in juice.
It was a good year for peaches. The weight of the stone fruit took perfectly upright branches and bent them down to the ground. And when I have a good year, neighbors know about it. There are baskets for them, cobblers for my family, and when I entertain, I trot out a guest favorite – peach salad. I have to workshop that name.
See, back in the 60’s, people had cool recipe names, adding the words “Delight” or “Surprise” at the end of them. “Tuna Surprise” or “Tomato Delight.” It was kitschy, but not very descriptive. Well, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction now, and in modern cooking magazines, my peach salad would be called “Herby Peach Salad with Jalapeno and Pistachios.” Sure, it’s more descriptive, but it sounds like I’m rattling off a list.
Regardless of the name, this salad is delectable and fires up every flavor profile. You can substitute ingredients and play with measurements as you go. Though the recipe is very simple, it may not seem like it with all my text below. Like Julia Child, I like to empower people by explaining everything. It takes the mystery out of cooking and builds confidence.
Let’s get started!
Ingredients
Arugula (1 package - or finely chopped kale, as spring mix would get too soggy with the fruit)
Cucumber (1)
Peaches (2-3 - cantaloupe works in a pinch, but peaches have a sweeter punch)
Crumbled goat cheese, feta, or cotija (a couple handfuls)
Jalapeno (1 or 2)
Garlic (1 or 2 cloves)
Limes (2 limes or 1 lemon could work)
Scallions (1 or 2 stalks)
Basil (or mint, or both – a couple handfuls)
Honey (a little drizzle)
Olive oil (4 tablespoons – to start, depending on taste)
Salted pistachios (a couple handfuls)
Instructions
First, make sure all the produce is washed thoroughly.
Layer arugula in a wide salad bowl or deep tray. Use the whole bag.
Second, peel a cucumber. Slice thin lengthwise so they resemble ribbons, either with a mandolin or spiralizer. If neither option is available, slice as thinly as possible into long strips.
Lay the cucumber atop the arugula, preferably a little upright, to show off the ribbon design and not completely coat the arugula, as if it were lasagna.
Thinly slice peaches and place them around the salad. You needn’t peel the peaches, but you can if you’d like.
Thinly slice 1 or 2 jalapenos and remove all seeds. Spread around the salad.
Chop one or two stalks of scallions (or spring onions) finely. Spread atop salad.
Finely chop the herbs (however much you’d like – I prefer a couple heavy handfuls) and spread atop the salad.
Sprinkle the crumbled cheese of your choice around the salad
In a separate bowl, mix the juice of 2 limes, (or 1 lemon) and shave a little lemon or lime zest into the bowl as well. Add a dash of honey, salt, pepper, and olive oil to the mix. Taste the mix, and adjust seasonings as you see fit.
Lightly drizzle this mix over the salad.
Finally, grab a healthy handful or 2 of shelled, salted pistachios (salt and pepper pistachios are my favorite), and place them into a sandwich bag. Seal, and pound lightly with a mallet. Be sure not to do this directly on the countertop, as you may damage it. You can do this on a wood chopping block, heavy cutting board, or even the kitchen floor. Once the pistachios are crushed (not into a powder, just into pieces) sprinkle this atop the salad
And there you have it! Summer in a bowl. What more could you ask for? Peach cobbler? Happy to share my recipe next summer! In the meantime, if you can think of a cool name for this salad, email me suggestions at fayeruz.com!