If summer could be summed up in a salad, it would be called Roasted Peach~Vanilla, Blueberry Salad…with pecans and crumbled Gorgonzola.
Have you ever had a certain dish that when you first took a bite, time stood still? This salad and I have a romance that started back at our coffee shop days. I clearly remember the day. It was late summer and I was sitting on the second floor of Jahva House with two of my high school friends. We hadn’t seen each other in about a year and we were meeting for lunch to catch up. Devon was behind me in the kitchen, concocting something new. Little did he know, this little dish would slide into his wife’s favorite-dish-of-all-time-category. He served each of us a little plate that looked like this.
One bite later, the conversation faded into the background and time stood still. I faintly heard Devon say, “What do you think?” I don’t know if I answered him. Each bite of this little salad held sunshine, summer melodies and flavors of just picked produce out of the garden. (I’m not even exaggerating this moment.) Before I knew it, my plate was clean. I think one of my friends was waiting for my response to something she just said. The volume slowly returned and I became present. Only to look over my shoulder to see what else might be delivered.
Roasted Peach~Vanilla, Blueberry Salad Recipe:
¼ C. granulated sugar
1 Tbls. Pure vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
4 ripe, fresh from the farmer’s market, peaches, cut in half
2 Tbls. Butter
½ C. blueberries
3 Tbls. Rice wine vinegar
5 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil
1 bag of baby spinach, rinsed and dried
½ red onion, finely sliced
1 C. pecan halves
½ C. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Heat oven to 400 F.
Mix together sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Put peach halves in the bowl and gently toss to coat peaches with sugar mixture. Let the peaches marinate for approx. 10 minutes.
Generously butter a sheet tray.
Lay marinated peaches cut side down on sheet tray. Save bowl with sugar juice.
Roast peaches for 5-7 minutes until heated and the peaches begin to caramelize. (Note: don’t over cook.) Pull peaches out of oven and let cool.
While peaches are cooking, add rice wine vinegar and olive oil to sugar bowl and whisk together to create a vanilla, peach vinaigrette. Add in blueberries, spinach, onions and nuts and gently toss together, coating ingredients with the vinaigrette.
Mound the spinach mixture onto plates. Sprinkle nuts and crumbled cheese on top.
Slice cooled peaches and place peaches around the salad.
Crack a bit of fresh pepper and get ready to experience a taste of heaven!
