Description
Barefoot Contessa’s peach salad brings summer freshness to your table with ripe peaches, creamy goat cheese, and peppery arugula. Crisp ingredients and tangy vinaigrette create perfect harmony you’ll crave all season long.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 peaches (cut into wedges)
- ½ cup (75 g/2.65 oz) candied walnuts (chopped)
- ½ red onion (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup (15 g/0.5 oz) fresh basil
- ¼ cup (15 g/0.5 oz) fresh mint
- ¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) olive oil
- 2 tbsps (30 ml/1 fl oz) white wine vinegar
- 2 tsps (10 ml/0.33 fl oz) honey
- 2 tsps (10 ml/0.33 fl oz) Dijon mustard
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Onion Preparation: Slice red onion into thin, translucent strips and immerse in ice water for 10 minutes to soften its intense flavor. Drain and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Combine white wine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in extra virgin olive oil until the mixture emulsifies into a smooth, glossy dressing.
- Flavor Infusion: Introduce marinated onion slivers into the vinaigrette, allowing them to absorb the nuanced flavor profile. Add ripe peach wedges, toasted candied walnuts, and freshly torn basil and mint leaves.
- Final Assembly: Gently toss all ingredients to ensure even coating. Season with sea salt and black pepper, adjusting to taste. Delicately fold the salad to distribute flavors and textures harmoniously, creating a vibrant and refreshing dish.
Notes
- Mellow Onion Technique: Soaking red onion in ice water for 10 minutes removes harsh bite, creating a sweeter, milder flavor profile perfect for delicate salads.
- Vinaigrette Emulsion Secret: Slowly stream olive oil while whisking continuously ensures a smooth, cohesive dressing without separation.
- Flavor Marination Tip: Let onions rest in vinaigrette before adding peaches to maximize absorption of tangy, sweet undertones.
- Herb and Texture Balance: Adding toasted candied walnuts and fresh herbs transforms a simple salad into a complex, multi-dimensional dish with contrasting crunch and aromatic layers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg