Grilled Peach Salad

I haven't been doing much cooking this summer. We spent most of June on vacation, so there wasn't much opportunity to cook. But, we're back in town and enjoying all the produce that summer brings with it. Last week I got some gorgeous peaches in our CSA delivery and wanted to use them for more than just a snack or dessert. So, I put together this salad last night -- it was shamefully easy and quick. In order to bring out even more sweetness in the peaches, I grilled them using my stove top grill pan. I certainly could have used my outdoor grill, but I wasn't about to fire that thing up just for a few peach halves. In this case, the grill pan did the trick. In addition, I added sliced chicken breast to make it a meal, but you use another protein like shrimp or even finely sliced beef instead. And I chose watercress only because I like the peppery taste, but you certainly use a different green, or a combination of them.

And this is one of those recipes for which I didn't really use defined quantities. It's a salad, so you can just use as much or as little of the ingredients as you like.

Grilled Peach Salad

(serves 2-4)

2-3 peaches, halved and pitted

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbs canola oil

Salt and pepper

1 lb bocconcini, each ball halved (or other fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized pieces)

Watercress

1-2 tbs lemon olive oil (or fresh lemon juice from one lemon plus 1-2 tbs olive oil)

-- Brush butter over both sides of peach halves, place on grill pan heated to medium-high heat. Cook peaches until grill marks appear, about 5-6 minutes per side

-- Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper

-- Heat canola oil over medium high heat, and add chicken breasts. Cook chicken breasts until just opaque

-- Remove peaches from heat, and slice into quarters

-- Remove chicken from heat, and slice thinly

-- Add watercress, bocconcini, and chicken to bowl. Season with lemon olive oil*, salt, pepper, and serve with peach slices on top.

*If you don't have the lemon olive oil, just whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil until emulsified, then add with salt and pepper to salad.

Egg-cellent!

I don't know where it came from, but over the last month I've been craving egg salad. Well, truth be told, I am actually craving the triumvirate of mayo-based salads: egg salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad. I ate these things as a kid, but I really haven't had any of these in years and years and years, and certainly have never made any of them. So I figured it was some kind of cosmic sign when I picked up the 2008 version of Cook's Illustrated American Classics issue which included, you guessed it, recipes for egg salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad. Egg salad it was!

The beauty of these kinds of salads is that you can really get as creative as you want to be. I stuck with the classic mayo as a binder, but you really could substitute a variety of other ingredients such as sour cream, yogurt, or even cottage cheese. I deviated from tradition by skipping the celery (anything crunchy is suspect with my four-year-old), using baby leeks instead of red onion, and adding capers. The result? Yum! Even better is that it takes no time to make. I did the entire thing in 20 minutes (that includes hardboiling the eggs). If the kids like it, I am going to add this to my repertoire of foods for them. Of course if they don't like it, there will be more for me! I win either way.


Courtney's Egg Salad
makes about 2 cups

6 hard boiled eggs, cooled, peeled and diced
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of diced baby leeks (you could use scallions instead)
2 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons of capers, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

-- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl
-- Serve on bread or alone

Now to tackle tuna salad...