Grilled Peach Summer Salad

So... how amazing does this look???

Ahhhmaaaayyyyzzzziinnngggggg!

Grilled peaches?  I say yes please to that smoky caramelized flavor!  I came upon this recipe on the blog Feasting at Home, and it's officially been added into the queue for summer recipes.  Let's be honest... nothing says "summer" better than a perfectly sweet, juicy peach.

Here's a little tip to help you find the best peaches... pick out your fruit by smell.  This is actually how you should pick out all stone fruit - apricots, peaches, nectarines (by the way, this salad would be fantastic with nectarines as well) - these fruits taste the way they smell, so if there is little smell to the peach, it won't taste like much at all.

For this salad, here's what you need...

Salad:

   - Peaches

   - Goat Cheese

   - Basil (she uses purple basil)

   - Arugula

   - Nasturtium petals (to be fancy of course)

Dressing:

   - Balsamic vinegar

   - Olive oil

   - Salt

   - Pepper

   - Agave

The directions are painfully simple, although some of the ingredients might be harder to come by.  The original recipe used white balsamic vinegar in the dressing, but I'm sure regular balsamic would be great.  Nasturtium petals are not going to make or break this dish, but if you have them on hand, or you're really trying to impress company, track those bad boys down!

Ok, so cut the peaches in half, and take out the pits.  Coat in olive oil, and put in the grill for for about 5 minutes, juicy side down.

While those grill away, mix up the dressing, whisking all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss in the arugula and basil, and coat the leaves evenly.  Arrange on a flat platter for a pretty presentation.

Take the peaches off the grill and cut into thin slices.  Arrange on top of the greens, and finish off the salad with the flower petals.  The picture below also includes watercress and toasted almond slices... get creative! It's your salad!

For a heartier version, I'd add grilled chicken - avocado would also be yummy in here too.  Unfortunately for me, we have zero outdoor space, so we won't be able to use a grill with a flame, but an indoor grill would work just as well.

I'm hungry just thinking about it!