Husband and wife duo Jeanine and Jack are the creators of the two-time Saveur Award winning blog, Love & Lemons opens in a new tab. Cheerful, bright, and full of zest, Jeanine takes an elevated but accessible and fun approach to her recipes. Think tart cherry and mint sorbet and carrot quinoa oatmeal breakfast cookies. Their best-selling book, "The Love & Lemons Cookbook" was released in the spring of 2016.
This one has moved to the top of my list for favorite summertime dishes. Sweet grilled peaches, spicy arugula, creamy fresh mozzarella, crunchy pine nuts, and herb-y pesto… It’s simple enough to put together for a light weeknight meal, but fancy enough to serve as a starter at your next dinner party.
Grilled Peach Salad & Mint Pesto
Serves 4 as a side
INGREDIENTS
Salad:
2 firm, yet ripe peaches
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups baby arugula
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
A few dollops of pesto
Sprinkle of toasted pine nuts
Salt & pepper
Mint & Basil Pesto:
1 packed cup of a mix of mint & basil
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (you could also use walnuts instead)
½ garlic clove, roughly chopped
Juice and zest from ½ a lemon
¼ cup olive oil (or more)
A few pinches of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Slice the peaches into 6 segments per peach. In a small bowl, toss peaches with olive oil, balsamic, and just a small pinch of salt.
2. Heat your grill (or grill pan) to medium high heat and brush it with some oil. Place the peach slices on the hot grill and cook each side for 2-3 minutes without moving them (near the end you can gently peek to see how your grill marks are coming along). When your peaches are grilled, set aside and allow them to cool to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile make the pesto. Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and pulse to combine. Add more oil for a smoother pesto, or leave it chunky - whichever consistency you prefer.
4. Toss the arugula with just a little bit of olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Assemble on a platter and top with mozzarella slices, peaches, dollops of pesto, and a few pinches of red pepper flakes. Squeeze just a bit of lemon on top and serve.
NOTES
A few notes about grilling peaches: They will pick up the flavors of what you previously grilled on your grill. Depending on what that was, you may want to clean your grill well before beginning.
