Some of my earliest memories of summer food are the juicy peaches my parents would grow up the side of our house when we lived in sunny Buckinghamshire. That first bite of perfumed fruit would usually result in a lot of juice dribbling down my chin and very sticky hands – but boy were they good!
Waitrose have asked me to create a recipe using my favourite summery flavours as part of their new Taste of Summer Campaign, so i’ve used peaches in this rather fetching sunshiny salad.
From peaches in the sunny Home Counties, to feta cheese which flies us to the crystal seas and pebbly shores of Greece, another place full of the summer flavours I adore.
Sweet and salty, possibly one of the finest taste experiences in my humble opinion, is what this salad is all about. Peppery green leaves, salted toasted almonds providing an essential crunch and strips of refreshing cucumber to relieve that hot sun beating down. In my head i’m eating this salad in Corfu, in reality i’m sitting under a blanket on my sofa in Whitley Bay – come ON summer show yourself!
Griddled Peach and Feta Salad
Serves: 2
Cook time: 5 mins
Prep time: 10 mins
Ingredients
For the dressing
2 ripe peaches
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt flakes
black pepper
For the salad (quantities depending on your appetite!)
2 ripe peaches
Mixed salad leaves
Cucumber
Feta cheese
Toasted Salted Almonds
Instructions
1. To make the dressing: cut the peaches in half, remove the stone and then chop. Place in a powerful blender with the remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth. Check the balance of flavours and adjust to your own taste. Pour the dressing into a pretty jar ready to serve.
2. To make the salad: cut the remaining peaches into wedges, spritz a griddle pan with a little oil and then cook the wedges for a few minutes on each side. Allow to cool while you assemble the salad.
3. Line each plate with a few handfuls of mixed salad leaves. Create ribbons of cucumber by using a vegetable peeler, and arrange on top of the leaves. Slice up the feta and nestle into the leaves, along with the griddled wedges of peach. Scatter liberally with toasted salted almonds and freshly cracked black pepper. Bring to the table with the dressing and enjoy.
Why not share YOUR Taste of Summer with Waitrose and win some amazing prizes!
Waitrose are asking people to share their favourite summer flavours on social media – whether it’s an ice cream at the seaside, burgers on the BBQ or a cold crisp glass of wine.
– an invite to a barbecue event with Heston Blumenthal at one of his pubs in Bray
– a cocktail and canapés course at the Waitrose Cookery School in London
– a complete summer party menu catered for by the Waitrose Entertaining team
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Disclosure: I have been commissioned to create a recipe by Waitrose to help promote their Taste of Summer Campaign
I don’t think I’ve ever griddled peaches before, but the thought of sweet juicy peaches with crumbly feta sounds absolutely incredible!
It’s a winning combo Becca… sweet and salty all day long!
This is atually one of my favourite salads. I love grilled peaches, especially with a little bit of honey.
pooh good call on the honey Dannii!
This looks totally mouthwatering. What a lovely fresh alternative to a barbeque for summer time eating!
Thanks Sarah… it’s a really refreshing salad and would be lovely with some grilled chicken 🙂
Excellent recipe, Katie. Funnily enough I make a peach dressing too (I didn’t know anyone else did!) but just the white peach, some Dijon and a touch of vinegar and salt. I find the peach is so creamy that I don’t add oil but I go and ruin this virtue by loading a salad with halloumi! A super summer recipe. Thanks for sharing it, and the Waitrose competition details. Entered!
I Like the sound of your dressing Kellie, Dijon is super lush in dressings 🙂 I find it hard to resist halloumi – we get through a shocking amount in the BBQ months 😉
So delicious. A big bowl of this in the middle of the table when friends come round for supper would make everyone happy.
Thanks Sally, yes it’s a great summery salad perfect for entertaining!