America’s Test Kitchen: The perfect picnic side dish
This recipe is designed for peak-oftheseason, perfectly ripe tomatoes and peaches from your garden or a local farm. It’s perfect for heirloom fruits — a term used to describe varieties that can’t withstand the rigors of long-distance shipping and are therefore locally grown and readily found at farmers markets. If you like, serve this salad with crusty bread to sop up the dressing.
Summer Tomato and Peach Salad
Serves 4 to 6
3 ripe tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 small ripe peaches
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1. Using a small serrated knife, cut each tomato in half from top to bottom (through the stem). Use the tip of the knife to cut out the core from each half. Cut tomatoes into wedges that are roughly 1/2-inch thick, then cut each wedge in half crosswise.
2. In a colander, combine tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and gently toss to combine. Let tomatoes drain for 15 minutes.
3. While tomatoes drain, cut each peach away from the pit, then discard the pit. Slice peaches into 1/2-inch-thick wedges following the same method used for the tomatoes. Cut each wedge in half crosswise.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, shallot, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add drained tomatoes and peaches to the bowl with the dressing and use a rubber spatula to gently stir to combine.
5. Tear mint leaves into pieces. Sprinkle mint over salad. Serve.
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