peach-almond salad with honey-balsamic dressing

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lettuce chevre salads peaches almonds salad greens

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This recipe is a variation on a recipe in Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz’s rebar modern food. If you’re skeptical about putting fruit in a dinner salad, this salad will change your mind.

I always toast a lot of almonds when I make this recipe because they make such nice snacks. I don’t usually use the cheese—I don’t think it’s necessary with the richness of the almonds, but it is a lovely addition. One of my favorite meals in the summer is to invite friends over and make several trays of halibut fish sticks and a gigantic bowl of this salad. I never bother with another side dish, because I want to save more room for salad and fish, but you could serve slices of whole wheat bread or toast if you like.

dressing

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
½ large white or purple onion, minced very fine
¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
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1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together, except the oil. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking. Season with more salt and/or honey to taste. I usually make a double batch of this and keep it in the refrigerator—it lasts quite well. If the dressing separates, just bring it to room temperature and whisk it back up to combine.

salad

½ cup or more whole almonds
2 or 3 ripe peaches (or pears)
large bowlful of salad greens
crumbles of soft chevre (goat cheese), optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the raw almonds for about 20 minutes, until very fragrant, and light brown inside when you cut one in half. When they cool, coarsely chop up as many almonds as you’d like to garnish the salad.
2. Cut up the peaches or pears into bite-sized pieces.
3. Fill a big salad bowl with 10 cups or more of mesclun mix or leaf lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces. Toss with dressing to your taste, then add the peaches or pears and toss once more.
4. Top with chopped nuts and cheese (if using); serve immediately.