Grilled Peaches and Burrata Salad

Peach season in Ontario is pretty short, but in my opinion, nothing compares to in-season peaches so I like to take advantage when I can. I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind when you think of peaches, isn’t to throw them on the grill, but they are such a good fruit to cook with a bit of heat and let all the sugars caramelize. If you make grilled peaches, you can decide to use them in a couple of different ways. Grilled peaches make a great chutney or can be incorporated into a bbq sauce for your meat, ribs or pork chops would be great with a peach-based bbq sauce. But for this recipe, I’m making a salad. You heard that right. I’m making a salad. A grilled peach and burrata salad to be exact, with grilled fennel and gremolata. I like to show people that salads don’t have to be boring and that I do make a vegetarian dish once in a while, and I like to make vegetarian dishes even the meat eaters will love. I will say the secret to success with this dish is the creamy burrata. Once you grill off your peaches and fennel, you make a gremolata with fresh chopped basil, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, break that beautiful ball of burrata on top, and sprinkle it all with the flavourful gremolata. I sliced up some sourdough bread and toasted it on the grill with olive oil, and that burrata, gremolata and grilled peach on the sourdough is epic. I also love this dish because it’s great for entertaining and sharing. You can cut up as much or as little bread as you like and keep sopping up that burrata and gremolata. Trust me when I say this will become your go-to summer dish. To find out how to make this Grilled Peach & Burrata Salad keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.

Slice your peaches off the pit, into large rounds.

Remove the stalks from the fennel bulb and slice to desired thickness.

To make your gremolata, chop your fresh basil, add a drizzle of olive oil and continue to chop. Add to a small bowl. Mince your fresh garlic, add a drizzle of olive oil and continue to mince, add to your bowl. Zest one lemon into the bowl and squeeze in the juice. Add salt, pepper and olive oil and set aside.

Drizzle canola oil onto the plancha. Put down your fennel and peaches, allow to grill and caramelize, about 2-3 minutes and then flip. Once softened and golden, remove the fennel from the plancha and place in a shallow serving bowl. Once the peaches are nicely charred, remove from the plancha and place in a separate bowl.

Slice your bread and put on the plancha to toast, drizzle with olive oil, and flip to toast the other side.

To plate, add the grilled peaches on top of the fennel. Sprinkle with the gremolata. Add to your bowl of peaches and fennel. Crack your ball of burrata cheese and place on top of the peaches and fennel. Sprinkle more gremolata on top, add fresh cracked pepper and garnish with fennel leaves.

For the perfect bite, load a peach onto the toasted bread and spread some burrata and gremolata on top. Enjoy!

And now for the full recipe...

Grilled Peaches & Burrata Salad

Serves 2-3 people

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 bulb fennel 3-4 ripe peaches 1 ball Burrata 15-20 leaves basil 4-5 cloves garlic 1/4 cup olive oil Salt Pepper 1 Lemon zest + lemon juice 2-3 slices sourdough bread

How to Make It:

Slice your peaches off the pit, into large rounds. Remove the stalks from the fennel bulb and slice to desired thickness.

To make your gremolata, chop your fresh basil, add a drizzle of olive oil and continue to chop. Add to a small bowl. Mince your fresh garlic, add a drizzle of olive oil and continue to mince, add to your bowl. Zest one lemon into the bowl and squeeze in the juice. Add salt, pepper and olive oil and set aside.

Drizzle canola oil onto the plancha. Put down your fennel and peaches, allow to grill and caramelize, about 2-3 minutes and then flip. Once softened and golden, remove the fennel from the plancha and place in a shallow serving bowl. Once the peaches are nicely charred, remove from the plancha and place in a separate bowl.

To plate, add the grilled peaches on top of the fennel. Sprinkle with the gremolata. Slice your bread and put on the plancha to toast, drizzle with olive oil, and flip to toast the other side. Add to your bowl of peaches and fennel. Crack your ball of burrata cheese and place on top of the peaches and fennel. Sprinkle more gremolata on top, add fresh cracked pepper and garnish with fennel leaves. For the perfect bite, load a peach onto the toasted bread and spread some burrata and gremolata on top. Enjoy!

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