Peak Summertime Stone Fruit and Tomato Salad
When mid-August hits and the afternoons are slow and lingering and the fireflies don’t start blinking until 11PM, you know it’s time for this salad: the tomatoes should be big and sweet and juicy, the stone fruit at its peak balance of soft and firm, and the basil lush and fragrant and glossy. This dish is the perfect compliment to grilled seafood, steak, chicken, or corn on the cob; it pairs well with fried chicken, burgers, or fish tacos; and it would work wonders alongside a summery eggplant pasta or atop a slab of grilled bread with a schmear of burrata. (And if you’re looking to add pita chips to your stone fruit salad, try our End-of-Summer Fattoush instead.)
Simply the best.
Like some other Meryl recipes, this dish is only as good as the sum of its parts. The key is this: Start with the best produce and olive oil you can possibly find. Pick colorful heirloom tomatoes and nectarines or peaches at peak ripeness, and use an olive oil that’s flavorful and earthy. If you can, use good salt, too—Maldon or fleur de sel or another sea salt that’ll add some dimension to the other ingredients.
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4–6 as a side dish
Drink: A bright, medium- to light-bodied white, like Soave or Sancerre.
1. Prep everything
Cut your tomatoes and nectarines into uniform 1- to 2-inch chunks, removing any woody bits on the tomato. Place them in a serving bowl.
Chiffon or tear the basil and mint and add to the bowl.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Drizzle everything with 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss to coat the fruit.
3. Let rest 5–10 minutes; serve
Let it rest for a few minutes to allow all the flavors to come together and the mint (if used) to soften. Finish with a bit more salt to taste and serve at room temp or slightly chilled.
Um, excuse me?
Can I use other stone fruit?
Yes! Red plums or cherries would work well, too. The tomatoes add a lot of acid, so pick what’s sweet (not sour) and in season, and stick to produce that’s firm enough to hold up; nothing too soft or mushy. I also prefer fruit with a smooth skin, instead of fuzzy—I think the end texture is nicer.
The really good tomatoes aren’t in season yet—should I still make this salad?
Off-season stone fruit will still work, but the tomatoes pull a lot of weight—you need them to be firm and juicy, never mealy. It’s worth the wait for the summer’s best tomatoes.
Can I skip the mint?
Definitely. You can add a few more leaves of basil for color.
Should I add cheese?
I like this salad vegan, but if you’ve got a hankering for cheese, try something mild and clean, like burrata or fresh mozzarella.
Should I add nuts?
Pine nuts would be nice, though I still like it clean and simple so the fruit and tomatoes can shine.
How do I find good olive oil?
Go to your nearest Italian or specialty grocery store (in Seattle, try DeLaurenti; in Brooklyn, try Gustiamo or Russo’s) and look for extra virgin olive oil that’s in 250 or 500ml bottles or cans (you can certainly find good olive oil in large format, but if this is your first rodeo, it’s helpful to start small). Choose an extra virgin olive oil (the highest grade) that’s not infused with any herbs or aromatics—you want the taste of the oil itself, not any additives. It’s also important that it’s fresh: olive oil dulls and eventually goes rancid; it’s best when it is recently pressed. Great olive oils can range in flavor from mellow and smooth, to spicy and prickly, to bright and lemony—any of those styles will work on a salad like this. And when in doubt, ask someone at the store for help!
Other stone fruit recipes?
Right this way!
