CHICKEN & PEACH SALAD with
WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
Insalata di pollo e pesca con
vinaigrette bianca al balsamico
Ingredients
For the salad:
1 lb. Cooked chicken, cubed
2 medium Peaches (ripe, but firm), pitted and sliced thin (about 1/4")
4 oz. Pancetta (or bacon), browned and crispy, coarsely chopped
1 small Vidalia onion, diced medium
1/2 each Fire roasted red and yellow sweet peppers, diced medium
1 tbsp. each Fresh basil, mint, and Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped
1-1/2 tbsp. Lemon juice (bottled is okay)
For the vinaigrette:
1/3 c. Extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. White balsamic vinegar
a dash Frank's© Original Hot Sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. Honey
a pinch each Kosher salt, and
Freshly-ground black pepper
For service:
+/- 2 tbsp. Grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
4 medium leaves Romaine lettuce, rinsed and dried
Parsley sprigs (for garnish)
Preparation
Make the dressing
• In a small non-reactive bowl or jar with a lid, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients.
• Whisk or shake until well-emulsified.
• Cover and refrigerate.
Assemble the salad (Note: refrigerate 4 salad plates while assembling the salad!)
• In a large non-reactive bowl (plastic with a lid worked beautifully for me!), add all of the solid ingredients.
• Drizzle with the lemon juice, and toss until thoroughly but gently.
• Add about 3-4 tbsp. of the dressing - enough so that each piece gets lightly coated - and toss to coat each piece.
• Cover both the salad and dressing, and refrigerate 90-120 minutes. (While leftovers can (and need be) refrigerated, do not initially refrigerate for a longer period, This helps the salad remain fresh.)
• Uncover the salad, taste and add more dressing or adjust the seasoning, as needed or desired.
Service
• Place a leaf of Romaine on each of the 4 chilled salad plates.
• Place an even amount (about 4 oz.) of salad on top of the Romaine.
• Grate some of the cheese over each serving.
• Garnish with a few parsley springs, and serve while still well-chilled.
This is another of those recipes that seem to have been borne of necessity: I had grilled chicken leftover from the previous dinner, and more peaches than I reckoned I was buying at the Farmers Market that Saturday morning. What to do?
A flash of inventiveness - partially brought about by the mint, basil and parsley growing madly in my mini greenhouse - led to this absolute symphony of texture and flavor. It's almost unbelievable how well the combination of these should-be disparate ingredients work together!
A marvelous, colorful, and positively ambrosial light late-Summer luncheon or dinner, especially when paired with a crisp Chardonnay or White Zinfandel!
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