The Small, But Mighty, Peach
The last thirty years of my life have been devoted to my passion for food. I have been on a culinary journey to discover, learn, and create all things beautiful within the realm of food. Whether it be family, friends or community, food is one of the things that brings us together in spirit and space.
Throughout my journey one of the things that I have discovered is that the simplest foods are, more often than not, the best foods.
Pure ingredients showcased with seasonal, fresh, and regional items are the items that sing on their own and speak to us to create something beautiful and delicious.
Mississippi is in full-blown Spring at the moment, and nothing speaks to me in Spring more than fresh peaches.
We show up and show out at our local farmers markets. Sun-ripened field grown tomatoes, okra, yellow squash, cucumbers, watermelons, sugar sweet corn, peas, beans, watermelons, cantaloupes, and peaches. Simply put, there is no other region in America that can rival the produce we grow in the South.
The first peaches are just beginning to come into season and, while they are small, they pack a punch. The smell of a perfectly ripe peach is intoxicating and tends to work us Southerners into a frenzy. The anticipation builds for that first bite of the first peach of the season. You don't care that sticky peach juice will cover your face, arms and probably ruin a perfectly good shirt.
When word hits the street that the peaches are in, you run – don’t walk! - to the local market to beat our beloved grandmas to the prize. There’s nothing like getting snaked on by a sweet little grandma for that last basket of peaches. She will knock you down without a second thought.
When picking out the perfect peaches the first thing you should ask yourself: “Does it smell like a peach?” You should be able to smell the sweet aroma of ripe peaches as you near the produce bin. No smell? Then, folks, just keep moving, as these are suspect, and you will experience feelings and emotions of great loss and disappointment if you bite into a mealy and tasteless peach. Go toward the light, or the smell, in this case.
We are very fortunate in North Mississippi to have Cherry Creek Orchards out of Pontotoc, and you should have no trouble finding these delectable little fruits at the farmers’ markets, produce stands, or directly from the source.
I would be remiss in my duty as a peach lover and a Southern chef if I did not also mention Chilton County, Alabama peaches, which are always good, but are exceptional this year, and again, you should have zero trouble laying hands on them during peach season.
One of my favorite things about peaches is the versatility they offer the home cook. Of course, they are great for desserts - seriously, who does not like peach cobbler?
But you can also make bruschetta with goat cheese, a peach gazpacho, a Havarti and prosciutto grilled cheese with fresh peaches, or an endless array of peach salads.
Peach and halloumi salad is the recipe I am going to share with you. Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese made from a mix of sheep and cow’s milk. It has a chewy texture and a natural saltiness. It is readily available in bigger grocery stores. You will love this salad: it's simple, quick, and delicious.
Peach and Halloumi Salad
Ingredients
6 Genoa salami slices
1 package Halloumi cheese, about 8 oz., sliced in ½ inch slices
3 peaches, peeled and sliced
6 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
½ small red onion, sliced paper thin
6-8 sugar snap peas, sliced in half
1/2 small Fresno chili, diced extra small
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
4 TB aged balsamic vinegar
Fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 charred lemon (see Notes)
Instructions
Crisp Genoa salami slices in small skillet like you would bacon. Crumble the crisped slices.
Take a large sauté pan and heat on medium high heat. Place Halloumi slices in a dry pan and cook until golden on one side. There will be a little moisture; don't panic. Flip over and do the same for the other side.
Take Halloumi slices out of the pan and place directly on a nice serving platter. Line them down the center of the platter or any way you like, as long as the cheese is the first item on the platter.
Next, place the sliced peaches along the sides of Halloumi, and sprinkle with olives, onion, peas, Fresno chili, and the crumbled, crispy Genoa. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle cracked black pepper over the dish. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top and place charred lemon on the side.
NOTES:
For charred lemon, simply slice a lemon in half and place sliced side down in a hot skillet until lemon develops a lovely caramelization. Doing this with the lemon wakes up the flavor and brings all the juice out of the lemon.
Make this platter literally right before you sit down to eat. Be sure to have all ingredients completely prepped and ready to go before cooking the Halloumi cheese, as you will assemble the salad on the serving platter immediately after you heat the cheese.
The Peaches used in this photo are Chilton County Peaches.
Kalamata Olives were used for this dish, but a pitted Cerignola green olive would make a great substitution if you prefer a less salty olive.
Leave the Salami off and you have a beautiful vegetarian side.
Do not use any salt in this dish.
Encourage your guests to use a squeeze of the lemon as it will not only wake up the dish but their palates as well.