Tomato & Peach Salad with Fresh Basil Pesto

We're nearing the end of the summer season! In Niagara, the farm stands will be closing in about a month so we have just a little more time to enjoy the end of summer bounty. This recipe is proof that when you use tree ripened fruit and fresh, locally grown tomatoes, you really don't need much else to make a flavourful starter salad.

This recipe is just one of a menu that we created for our very first recipe e-zine and when you sign up for my newsletter you'll receive it directly to your inbox. I'll be releasing one menu each season!

If you've been around for a while you know that Carolee is my second set of eyes on a shoot, she's my assistant, stylist and cook. She's the one making the recipes in studio when we're shooting for other publications. So most of the recipes featured in the e-zine are her own or ones that she has adapted with the occasional contribution from myself.

We wanted to get this one out to you while the gardens are still producing! We hope you enjoy!

Prep: It takes about 10-15 minutes to slice your produce and blitz the pesto

Serves: 4 as a starter course

Ingredients

3-4 medium sized heirloom and/or beefsteak tomatoes, preferably a mix of golden and red about 2 lbs, sliced about 3/ 8” thick

2-3 ripe peaches, washed & pitted, sliced into wedges, about 6 wedges each, about 1 lbs

Handful of fresh basil leaves for garnish

Olive oil for drizzling

Flakey sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

For Pesto:

1 cup packed fresh, washed basil leaves

1/ 4 cup olive oil

1/ 4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fine sea salt & Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1/ 4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/ 4 cup toasted pine nuts (see note below)

Instructions

1. Arrange sliced tomatoes and peach wedges on a large serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with flakey sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Set aside.

2. In a small food processor or a large mortar and pestle, add all the basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan, red pepper flakes, 1/ 2 teaspoon sea salt and several cracks of black pepper.  Blitz in processor until all is blended but you can still see bits.Taste the mixture for balance adding salt and pepper  as needed. This will make about 3/4 cup of pesto.  Leftover pesto will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.  Alternatively, portion into an ice cube tray and freeze.  Take frozen pesto cubes, zip-loc.  Will last indefinitely!

3. Drizzle pesto over the salad arrangement on the platter and garnish with additional fresh basil leaves.  Serve any extra in a side dish.

Note: Pine nuts are rather delicate. To lightly toast them, use a small sauce pan on medium heat and wait until the pan feels warm.  Add the pine nuts and gently shake them around until you can see them getting browned in spots and smell the nuttiness intensifying.  Remove from heat immediately and let them cool to room temperature before adding to the mix.

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