Hello, hello, hello! I hope you’ve all been well and are soaking up the last little bit of summertime before kids go back to school and we plow full-throttle into fall. I do love summertime and have really amazing childhood memories full of night games, family vacations, water parks, countless sleepovers, and pretty much living on the trampoline in our backyard.
I’m gonna be totally honest though – summer in Texas is hard. I will even go so far to say that I dread summer. This is my third Texas summer, and they are getting a little easier. But the heat and the humidity . . . I’m a melty puddle 90% of the time, with the other 10% being spent in the pool or the shower, after which I promptly return to said melty puddle. Ugh. I can’t even say I glisten. It’s sweat guys. Just straight up sweat, and it happens all. day. long. Ughhhhhh.
Summer produce though? Now that I can do! When I’m trying to avoid turning on my oven at almost all costs, fresh corn, basil, zucchini, ruby red tomatoes, and all the stone fruit I can get my hands on to the rescue! Which is exactly how this salad was born. The sweet with the savory and the nutty and salty and herby – this salad has been on heavy repeat at our house. And not just because I had to make several versions to get this exactly right to make it blog-worthy either 🙂
This salad looks fancy, but it so isn’t. Don’t have shallot? Go ahead and use purple onion. Don’t like arugula? Use what you already have in your fridge. You could use different herbs, but I promise you’ll want the basil here. You could cook the corn, but I don’t bother, and I think it’s all the better for it. Make these almonds with a pinch of cinnamon and a few good grinds of crushed black pepper to go on top. YUM! So get to it – before those peaches disappear!
Peach Summer Salad with Fresh Corn and Basil
Showcasing some of the best gems of summer produce, Peach Summer Salad with Fresh Corn and Basil is the perfect light, refreshing addition to whatever you're grilling tonight.
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
- 1 tablespoon shallot, grated
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
For The Salad
- 8 oz arugula, or other salad greens
- 1 peach, pitted and thinly sliced
- 1 cob of corn, kernels removed
- 1/3 cup caramelized almonds
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
Instructions
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For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously. Alternately, you can use an immersion blender or regular blender if you'd like a smoother dressing.
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Combine all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. This is definitely a last-minute kind of dish since it doesn't really sit well. Dress right before serving and enjoy!