Summer Salad with Grilled Peaches, Blue Cheese and Truffle vinaigrette

Who said salads are boring? This is a fancy, yet refreshing summer salad utilizing seasonal ingredients, spiced up with a little bit of Truffle Oil, Blue Cheese and crispy Prosciutto. It sounds complicated but it’s fairly easy to make.

I grilled my Peaches on a grill pan but fresh work well, too. I chose Prosciutto (an Italian dry-cured ham) as an alternative to Bacon because when crisped it has a lighter texture. The cheese I used was Cashel Blue from Ireland, which is more mild and less salty than the regular Blue Cheeses or Roqueforts, but feel free to use whatever Blue Cheese you like. The slight hint of Truffle Oil in the dressing turns this salad into a special dish. Truffle Oil may seem expensive but a little bit goes a long way and you can use it for many other recipes. I liked topping the salad with Pecans for the crunch and Blackberries for sweetness and balance.

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Summer Salad with Grilled Peaches Recipe

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons white truffle oil

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 small shallot sliced

salt & pepper to taste

3 white peaches, pitted and halved or cut in wedges

1/2 cup blackberries
2 slices prosciutto or bacon
1 teaspoon olive oil (for prosciutto)
6 cups mixed greens, loosely packed
mild blue cheese crumbled, topping to taste

pecans or other nuts such as hazelnuts to top

To make dressing, whisk together sliced Shallots, Truffle Oil, Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar and Salt & Pepper. Set aside.

In a pan on medium-high heat, add Olive Oil and cook Prosciutto til crisp for about 3-4 minutes. Break into bite size pieces and set aside. In the meantime, grill Peaches, about 2-4 minutes on each side till you get nice grill marks and the Peaches get soft. Arrange Greens on a large platter. Top with grilled Peaches, Blue Cheese, Blackberries, Pecans, and crispy Prosciutto. Drizzle with Truffle dressing.

Total Time: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 4 small servings