Peaches Galore!

I have been basking in sweet, juicy Ontario peaches all this week. It's perhaps one of my favourite summer fruits and one of the representative fruits of summer in my opinion (along with cherries). My friend and I went peach picking in the Niagara region last weekend, which resulted in me coming home with 27 pounds of fruit. With so much fruit, super hot weather, no A/C, and only one person, I had to get through this fruit fast before it spoiled. So if I wasn't preserving peaches, then I was eating them or working them into my weekly menu.


In light of this hot weather, I made this refreshing dinner of Peach and Tomato Gazpacho and a salad of arugula, peaches, prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella. I like gazpacho, but there's something about adding the sweetness of fruit to the chilled soup that brings it to a whole other level. I made another version of gazpacho a few weeks back with watermelon, and this time, thought it would be fun to play around with peach. I think the sweet and slight tartness of the peaches work very well with the acidity of the tomatoes.

And while prosciutto is delicious with melons, I'm a huge fan of pairing it with peaches. The saltiness of the cured meat works so well with the sweetness of the peaches. This is such a simple salad to throw together, perfect for either a quick weeknight dinner with your date or to impress your guests at a dinner party on the weekend, leaving you more time to spend with your guests and less time in the kitchen with prep work.


Arugula, Peach, Prosciutto and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad
Serves 4

1/2 10 oz bag of arugula
2 peaches, sliced
8 slices prosciutto
1 ball buffalo mozzarella
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Small bunch of fresh basil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large, non-reactive bowl, gently toss arugula with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter arugula onto a large serving platter, or 4 single salad plates.

Scatter the peaches over the arugula. Tear the buffalo mozzarella into small pieces and scatter about. Shred slices of prosciutto and scatter over peaches and mozzarella. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil and black pepper and basil leaves, and serve.