This salad had been on my mind for a while. Something similar was on the cover of Food & Wine in July, and every time I saw it on my coffee table I reminded myself to make it. Then at the Chicago Food + Wine Festival, Element Collective, the restaurant group that includes Nellcote and Old Town Social, was serving a peach and burrata salad with pea shoots and toasted sunflower seeds. It was the first thing I had at the Grand Tasting, and something I told everyone that they had to try.
Today I decided to create my own salad based on the one I tasted on Saturday. This recipe for Grilled Peach, Mozzarella, and Arugula Salad is easy, elegant, and scalable. Plus it's a great savory way to enjoy fresh peaches, which are in season right now. I used a fresh mozzarella to prepare this salad, since my grocery store apparently doesn't sell burrata. Burrata is a type of mozzarella with a creamy center which would result in a richer flavor pairing. I love the combination of the sweetness of the peaches and balsamic reduction with the crisp fresh arugula, creamy mozzarella, and crunchy toasted pine nuts.
If you wanted to turn this into a slightly heartier meal, create a pizza!
Grilled Peach, Mozzarella, and Arugula Salad, inspired by Chicago Food + Wine
Print Pin RateIngredients
- ½ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 cups Fresh Arugula
- 2 ripe Peaches
- 2 tablespoons toasted Pine Nuts
- Fresh Mozzarella or Burrata
- 1-2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
Instructions
- Start by making a balsamic reduction. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring to a steady boil, stirring occasionally until the vinegar reduces by half and thickens.
- I chose to keep the skin on the peaches, but you could boil the peaches for 1 minute, then soak in an ice bath for 1 minute, and peel off the skin. Then slice the peaches in half and remove the pits. Either using a grill or a grill pan, grill the peaches for 1-2 minutes until grill marks form. I did drizzle just a touch of olive oil on my grill pan first to prevent any sticking.
- Toss the arugula in a bit of olive oil, and divide it between two plates. Then top with the peaches, slices of the mozzarella, and a sprinkle of the pine nuts.
- Drizzle the balsamic vinegar reduction over and serve.
