Are You Feeling Peachy?

I love salads anytime of the year, but summer always provides us with a wonderful bounty of fruits and vegetables. This is a super simple salad utilizing fresh peaches and tomatoes.

Heirloom Tomato and Ripe Peach Salad

Body of Salad:

1 pound heirloom tomatoes, cut in ½ if small or ½ inch wedges if medium or large

3/4 pound fresh peaches, cut into ½ inch wedges

4 medium shallots, emincer

1 tablespoon fresh mint, hacher

8 – 10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

6 ounces Marcona almonds, roasted and salted

6 ounces chévre cheese, crumbled

salt to taste

Dressing:

2 pieces garlic, ciseler

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix the red wine vinegar and garlic in a small bowl, slowly drizzle the olive oil while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette. 

Combine body of salad in a large bowl and toss with dressing just prior to service.

Serves 4 - 6

One of the greatest contributions the French have given to the culinary world is to codify and formalize what has been done for centuries. The French have extensive terminology, giving a name to a technique as opposed to a description. It is a common language and understanding that exists in professional kitchens throughout the world. For this reason, I am going to start introducing classic French terms in the recipes with the French phonetic pronunciation and definition at the end of each recipe. I will eventually put together a glossary of terms as a reference.

Today’s French lesson includes:

Emincer (AY man say), to cut into thin slices.

Hacher (AH shay), to chop very finely and evenly with a knife

Chiffonade (SHEE foh nad), leafy vegetables or herbs that have been rolled together and then sliced crosswise into thins strips.

Ciseler (SEE zuh lay), to finely chop or mince, a manner of finely cutting onions, shallots, and garlic. 

Be sure to check out the related cooking videos to learn how to hacher and chiffonade. 

Bon Appétit