I purchased a pair of gorgeous summer peaches from the roadside fruit stand, and pondered what to make to best highlight them. After deciding against more predictable options like peach cobbler and peach ice cream, the gorgeous weather we have been experiencing in San Francisco prompted me to make a summery salad. Inspired by the beautifully simple but delicious Italian prosciutto e melone salad, I replaced the melon slices with slices of fresh peach, and added arugula and mint leaves to make it more salad-like, torn pieces of fresh mozzarella, and, for a contrast of texture, crispy prosciutto. I love the contrast of flavors – the deliciously sweet peaches sing against the salty prosciutto, the pepperiness of the arugula, the refreshing bite of the mint and the mellowness of the mozzarella. The crispy prosciutto, which is made by placing fresh prosciutto in a very hot oven for a few minutes, is lovely in this salad, providing an almost crouton-like texture. With a salad this simple {it mostly just requires assembly}, the freshness and quality of your ingredients are key – make this salad only when you can get your hands on the sweetest summer peaches.
As a side note, I can never think of peaches without thinking of A League of Their Own, one of my sister and my favorite movies. In high school, my sister and I tried out for our school’s field hockey team, and, after a week’s worth of vetting, the coach posted the names of the girls that made the team. After seeing both of our names on the list, my sis and I ran towards each other and shrieked “I’m a Peach!!!” Embarassingly, we also know all of the words to the All American Girls Baseball League song. Such dorks.
Recipe
Serves 2
- 6 slices prosciutto di parma {thinly sliced}
- Few handfuls of arugula {or other salad greens of your choice}
- Small handful of fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 peaches, pitted and sliced into sixths
- 1 small ball of fresh mozzarella
Preheat oven to 475°F. Lay 3 pieces of prosciutto flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and crispy. Be sure to check often – they can burn quickly. Set aside and let cool.
Add arugula and mint leaves into a mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over greens, and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat thoroughly and evenly. Spread dressed greens onto a serving plate. Arrange, peach slices, torn mozzarella, torn pieces of prosciutto, and torn shards of the crispy prosciutto over the greens. Sprinkle entire salad with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Note: If turning on the oven in the summer heat is simply incomprehensible, you can of course omit the crispy prosciutto.
Yum! I made a similar salad last week but instead used burrata cheese (my all time favorite) and lightly grilled the peaches, I love peaches in savory dishes! Beautiful photos!!
We’re members of the All-American League, we come from cities near and far! Love the shout-out and love the recipe. Never tried making crispy prosciutto but it sounds delicious!!
Lovely salad, Lindsay. I love summer fruit, but I am not much of a sweet tooth, and will always choose to either eat them on their own, or add them to savory dishs or salads rather than bake tarts or cakes (it’s not that I don’t like sweets, but I do think a ripe fruit is just so much better when kept as simple and straightforward as possible). I can imagine the creaminess of mozzarella along with the juicy peach and peppery arugula… delicious!
What a gorgeous salad! Prosciutto is wonderful with so many fruits, I love cobbler and ice cream but this salad is a much healthier option and I know it’s delicious!
Thank you Suzanne! I think some sort of peach dessert will NEED to be made this summer, but this was my attempt at being {somewhat} healthier, at least for now! Hope you’re doing well! xoxo
I’ve always loved that slight stain of red where the pit meets the flesh – it feels so elemental, somehow.
Very well said, and I completely agree – is anything more beautiful than fruit in its natural state at the peak of ripeness?! xoxo
This is gorgeous. I love the sweet and savory combination. The textures are also really lovely. This is how I like to eat. Thanks for sharing. BTW, my sister and brother and I quote this movie all the time. “There’s not crying in baseball”…”one more…one more!”
Thank you Brooke! Haha – that’s hilarious! I use that quote frequently too, and apply it to various activities/professions in life! xoxo
Beautiful combination!
Thank you Phil! Hope you’re having a great summer!
I can’t wait until it is stone fruit season in HK. Booked market for later. Take care, BAM
Thanks BAM! Hope you are doing well! xoxo
What a beautiful salad, so fresh and simple – thanks for sharing!
Thanks you so much! Yes, it really couldn’t be simpler, but was so incredibly delicious! xoxo
This salad sounds wonderful! Peaches and prosciutto? Perfect combo. btw I’m a fellow SF blogger as well! 🙂
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for stopping by – love that you are an SF blogger as well! We should have a blogger meet up! 🙂
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