GRILLED PEACH SALSA
Friends, remember that recipe I shared a few weeks ago for Grilled Peach Salad with Crispy Kale and Avocado? Well, the inspiration (or, obsession…either way) for grilled peaches continues with this recipe for Grilled Peach Salsa. I mean, how can you not?!
Grilled fruit in the middle of summer, diced into a bowl with fresh jalapeno, shallot, vinegar and oil to be served on a salty chip. Or, a crostini with ricotta! Or, in a lettuce cup, or a taco shell, or on grilled chicken….! See where I’m going with this? The possibilities for deliciousness are endless. Fire up those grills, baby, and let’s get to it!
Black bowl filled with diced grilled peaches and jalapeno, with a gold spoon.
If you remember from that previous post, I find the process of digging pits out of peaches a bit tedious, and in this case particularly, it hardly matters since we are going to dice the peaches after grilling anyway. So, simply cut the peaches into 4 sides, working around the pit as you go. Easy.
Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper, then set on a hot grill until charred marks form. Done and done!
Sliced and grilled peaches arranged on a plate.
From there, it’s all just knife work. Dice a jalapeno and a shallot and set in a large bowl, and once the peaches are cool enough to touch, dice those too. Toss those in the bowl along with a handful or so of chopped cilantro or parsley, or even basil or mint, if you’re feeling extra summery! Then, season everything with a splash of rice vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and another season of salt and pepper to taste. I mean, it really doesn’t get any easier than this!
And let me tell you, this fresh and vibrant side dish is so dang versatile, as I indicated in the first paragraph. Serve it as a condiment to grilled meat (steak, chicken, pork chops!) or seafood (shrimps! salmon!), or simply serve it as the delightful summertime snack it is with some chips and maybe a crisp margarita on the side. Just sayin’!
GRILLED PEACH SALSA
Grilled Peach Salsa is a delicious way to enjoy grilled peaches. Quite literally, perfect for summertime snacking al fresco!
INGREDIENTS
8-9peaches, sliced around the pit
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice peaches into quarters, cutting around the pit in the middle. Brush cut sides with olive oil and season with salt.
Set a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once surface is hot, set the peaches on top, flesh side down. Sear until grill marks form, about 3 minutes. For crosshatch grill marks, rotate peaches 90 degrees and cook until the second set of grill marks form.
If your peaches are very firm, you can flip the peaches and cook on the skin side for 2-3 minutes as well. However, if your peaches are already quite soft, skip cooking the skin side in order to keep a firm enough texture. Transfer cooked peaches to a plate and let cool.
To build the salsa, combine diced jalapeño, shallot, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Once peaches are cool enough to handle, cut into a small dice. Toss with the other ingredients, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or refrigerate for later.
Garlic cloves with wonderful taste contain a number of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients that have proven health benefits.
