American grilled-peach salad

Peaches are a favourite American fruit in summer, especially in the south, where they are used in all manner of recipes including cobblers and pies. This salad brings together the sweetness of ripe peaches and candied pecans with a salty hit of bacon and a rich buttermilk dressing.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 60 ml (¼ cup) white wine vinegar
• 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 60 g (½ cup) pecans
• 4 large ripe peaches, halved, seeded, cut into wedges
• 4 bacon rashers
• olive oil, to brush
• ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• 60 g (¼ cup) sour cream
• 60 ml (¼ cup) buttermilk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Cooling time 10 minutes

Standing time 30 minutes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160°C. Place onion in a bowl with 2 tbsp vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar and toss to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes, then drain.

Place pecans in a bowl and combine with 2 tsp vinegar and remaining 35 g sugar. Arrange coated pecans on a small oven tray lined with baking paper, then roast for 15 minutes or until golden and sticky. Set aside to cool completely.

Brush peaches and bacon with oil. Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue over medium heat, and cook bacon for 4 minutes on each side or until browned and crispy. Set aside, and when cool enough to handle, tear into large pieces.

Cook peaches for 2 minutes on each cut side or until lightly charred. Place peaches in a large bowl with drained onion, pecans, torn bacon, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Place sour cream, buttermilk, mustard and remaining 2 tsp vinegar in a bowl and whisk to combine. Serve salad drizzled with dressing.

Photography Chris Chen

As seen in Feast magazine, Dec/Jan 2013, Issue 27. For more recipes and articles, pick up a copy of this month's Feast magazine or check out our great subscriptions offers here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.