Salad Maker

This is a perfectly light dish for summer, when peaches are at their most abundant. Choose peaches that are on the firm side as they will soften up and sweeten with cooking.

GRILLED PEACH SALAD WITH MOZZARELLA, BASIL + HONEY

Serves 2–4, as a light dish

• 4–5 medium yellow peaches
• 400g / 14.1oz mozzarella

cheese

• 10–15 basil leaves
• extra-virgin olive
• 1–2 tbsp honey
• sea salt and black 1. Cut each peach in
  remove the seed, and
  slice each half into
  slices. Place the peach segments in a large bowl and drizzle over some olive oil. 2. Heat a barbecue or griddle pan on high heat. Once searing hot, grill the peach slices just a minute or so on each cut side until there are char marks and flesh is starting to soften. Don’t cook for too long, as you don’t want mushy peaches. You still want the flesh to retain some firmness. 3. Arrange the peach slices on a large platter. Tear up the mozzarella and toss it in with the peaches. Tear up the basil leaves, and scatter over the peaches and mozzarella. 4. To serve, drizzle generously with olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and trickle over the honey.

BLACK PEPPER STRAWBERRIES WITH GOAT’S CHEESE + WALNUTS

Serves 3–4 as a sharing dish

For the salad:

• 350g / 12.3oz sweet, ripe strawberries, trimmed
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tightly packed cups baby spinach, baby rocket or salad leaves
• 50g / 1.8oz goat’s cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, crushed
• chopped chives
• sea salt and lots of black pepper For the strawberry honey vinaigrette: • 2 large ripe strawberries
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 1 1/2 tsp honey
  • 1 small shallot, finely sliced • sea salt and black pepper

1. Cut the strawberries in half or quarters, depending on their size; a variety of shapes and sizes is great. Add the sugar and a generous grind of black pepper. Toss to coat and allow everything to macerate for 10–15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette. Quarter each strawberry and squeeze out the juice— the easiest way
to do this is to push the strawberry pieces through a fine sieve, catching the juice in a small bowl. Discard (or eat) the pulp. Whisk together the strawberry juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey and shallots, until well combined. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

3. Put the salad together
by placing the leaves in a large serving plate. Add
the macerated strawberries (including all the juices
in the bowl), goat’s cheese and blueberries, and spoon over the vinaigrette. Toss everything to combine. Taste, and season with sea salt and black pepper.

4. To serve, scatter with chopped chives and walnuts.

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