Lemon Preserve Summer Garden Salad

Intro

One of the many reasons we love August is eating right out of our garden. Tomatoes off the living vine are like an entirely different fruit than the ones you buy in the grocery store in January. Another is all the fresh stone fruit. This recipe takes full advantage of the bounty and adding our Lemon Preserve Base adds a little funk to the fruity sweetness. Epic with barbecued anything and fresh and invigorating at lunch. Just hold the salt. There’s plenty in the Lemon Preserve.

Ingredients

2 nectarines or peaches, cut into halves or quarters

1 cup of cherry tomatoes or the equivalent of any fresh tomato

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped fine

4 lettuce leaves (optional)

½ cup (125 grams) soft, ripe cheese like bocconcini or mozzarella de buffalo

1 Tablespoon Lemon Preserve cream

2 Tablespoons garlic infused olive oil (see tip below) or olive oil

Drizzle of balsamic reduction or ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar 

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Tip: Making a garlic infused olive oil is super easy. Peel two garlic cloves and crush under a knife. Add them to a mason jar with 1/2 cup of olive oil. Done. The longer it sits the more garlicy it gets.

Directions

  1. Heat a barbecue to 400F. Grill nectarines or peaches flesh side down for 3 minutes. Rotate and cook for another 3 minutes or until they start to get soft.

  2. Meanwhile, cut cherry tomatoes in half, chop basil, wash lettuce leaves and break up cheese.

  3. When the fruit is cooked, build the salads by combining the lettuce, tomato, basil and cheese and adding the fruit on top. 

  4. We like to drizzle the dressing ingredients individually over the salad, but you can also combine them in a measuring cup, mix well and then add as one.