Labor Day weekend is coming up which means the end of Summer is just around the corner! How did that go by so quickly? As the end of Summer quickly approaches I’m taking every opportunity to use all the delicious produce that is still in season and at it’s peak flavor. Queue the heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, corn, avocados, and stone fruits!
This past weekend I took a trip home to visit my family and we started our Saturday morning by picking fresh produce from my parent’s garden. We ended up with two overflowing baskets of ripe heirloom tomatoes, and what better way to enjoy them than in a simple caprese salad that highlights their flavor? Caprese with peaches! And maybe some grilled bread to serve with it. The unexpected hint of juicy sweetness from the ripe peaches makes this a twist on a classic recipe a crowd pleaser.
This dish is super simple to throw together, and it’s a no-cook recipe that comes together in less than 15 minutes – perfect for those warm nights when you don’t want to be stuck in a warm kitchen. Unless you want to serve it with grilled bread – if you’re already hangin’ by the grill, why not? Whether you’re headed to a Labor day Summer soiree or making dinner at home this weekend, this heirloom tomato and peach caprese is a delicious dinner or appetizer that is packed with flavor and feels like Summer on a plate.
Ingredients:
2 Large ripe peaches
3 Large heirloom tomatoes
2 8oz balls of Mozzarella
Baguette
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions:
Slice tomatoes, peaches, and mozzarella into thick slices, about 1/4″ thick. I like to cut all into disc shapes and then halve them lengthwise – making the shape more uniform will help everything stack easily (especially if you’re serving this on top of baguette slices), and slicing the discs in half makes for a an easier bite! Arrange stacks of mozzarella, peach, and tomato onto a platter, top with a generous drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and few leaves of freshly chopped or torn up basil. Pro tip – if you can’t find ripe peaches, use firm halved peaches and grill them cut side down for a few minutes until they get nice grill marks, slice up and assemble the salad per the above instructions. Serve as is, or with toasted or grilled baguette slices! Happy eating – I hope you bring this to your weekend bbqs! Enjoy!
