Heirloom Tomatoes with Peaches and Burrata

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An Unexpected Summer Fruit Salad

Late-summer produce can be the foundation for any simple meal. There is little the cook needs to do to make a big statement when such an eye-popping, colorful array of summer fruits and vegetables is as close as your local farmers market -- think yellow, pink, red and even zebra-striped heirloom tomatoes, vibrant green basil, and sweet, juicy peaches.

When I spotted this August Joy Salad in a lovely new book called "Plum Gorgeous: Recipes and Memories from the Orchard," I had to try the recipe. While it might seem odd to combine tomatoes and peaches, remember that they are both fruits (yes, tomatoes are technically a fruit) with differing textures and colors. They make good companions in this unusual summer fruit salad. What knocks this salad out of the park is the inclusion of a fruity, big olive oil. I like some of the California olive oils like Pasolivo or a big Tuscan oil. White balsamic is a tame acid that melds nicely with the other flavors

This is not your basic tomato, mozzarella and basil salad. It is a lot more interesting and might just be a conversation starter -- slightly rustic in presentation, full of bright colors and most of all it is Seriously Simple to assemble. Instead of fresh mozzarella cheese, the author calls for the buttery, soft fresh burrata, similar to mozzarella but filled with cream. It can be a bit tricky to handle because it is so soft and has different layers, so follow the directions and just tear it with your fingers. Serve this with some crusty warm bread.

August Joy: Heirloom Tomatoes with Peaches and Burrata

Serves 4 to 6.

1 1D2 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes

3 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into wedges

8 ounces burrata cheese (about 1 ball), at room temperature

Handful opal basil leaves or piccolo verde fino basil

Leaves from 2 sprigs tarragon

2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar

3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Slice the tomatoes according to size and shape and arrange on a platter or in a shallow bowl with the sliced peaches.

2. Tear the burrata into chunks, and scatter over the top along with any escaped cream, the basil, and most of the tarragon leaves.

3. Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Add the remaining couple tarragon leaves, gently bruised to release their oils, and let marinate for a few minutes. Add a pinch of salt to the vinaigrette and drizzle over the salad.

4. Sprinkle with more salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

 

Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks (click here), including "Seriously Simple Holidays: Recipes and Ideas to Celebrate the Season," and also a James Beard award-winning radio show host.

 

Twitter: @ihavenet

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Copyright © 2011, Diane Rossen Worthington. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.