Crispy Peach-Tomato Panzanella
A simple but wildly delicious way to use late summer produce
It suddenly feels like fall in the Bay Area. The temperature swing from the high 80s to the low 60s this week was a little sudden, but that seems to be how things go around here these days. While it’s nice to cool off for a bit, I do worry that this cold snap probably marks the end of some types of late-season summer produce. It’s likely the days will warm up again later in the month, bit a few cold days can stop many fruits from ripening properly, so I’m going to take advantage of this weekend’s farmers markets to scoop up all the stone fruit I can eat in case it’s the last we’ll get this year.
To that end, I’m going to speed up the release of a couple of the recipes I have planned for this month, so you can all enjoy them before peach and tomato season ends. Here’s the first one:
Crispy Peach-Tomato Panzanella
My absolute favorite combination of summer flavors is the beautiful marriage that happens when you put peaches and tomatoes together. The two fruits’ sweet-tart-aromatic flavors complement each other perfectly. They’re so good, in fact, that you don’t want to add too many other things that would muddy their flavors. That’s why I love this dish. Using these two summer headliners in a panzanella, with a just a splash of vinegar and some good olive oil, turns them into a fun side without detracting from their inherent perfection.
The real key to this recipe (other than perfectly ripe, fragrant fruit) is making really, really good croutons. I like mine big and crunchy so that they can soften a little when mixed with the fruits’ juices but still retain some of their crispy texture. To do this, you’ll want to start with good bread—ideally something with a sturdy but fairly open, somewhat dry crumb—then add oil and toast them until they’re crunchy all the way through. (I’ve been using the exceptional sourdough batard from Oakland’s Firebrand Artisan Breads, which has a pretty perfect texture for this application.) If you get the croutons right, the salad is sweet and savory with a hint of acid and some good crunch to balance out the fruits’ softness. It’s so good, in fact, that you might just skip making main dish and eat this all on its own.
Serves 4–6 as a side
½ lb. sourdough boule or similar bread (about ½ a large loaf)
Extra-virgin olive oil with a nice, mild flavor
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 very ripe, very flavorful peaches
2 very ripe, very flavorful tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Aged balsamic vinegar
Large handful fresh basil leaves
Make the croutons: Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the crust off the bread, then tear it into relatively big pieces (they should be on the larger end of “bite-sized”). Drizzle some olive oil over the bread—you’ll want enough that each piece gets some—season it with a couple big pinches of salt and a couple grinds of pepper, toss everything well, and spread it out on a baking sheet. Bake the bread until it’s golden-brown and has just become crisp all the way through, about 20 minutes.
While the croutons are baking, cut the peaches and tomatoes into wedges (about ½” at the outer edge of the wedge). Put the pieces into a large salad bowl with a couple really big pinches of salt, mix everything gently, and let the fruit sit, so that the salt can draw out some of its juices.
When the croutons are done and beginning to cool, add the red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a drizzle of the balsamic to the tomato-peach mixture. Gently fold the dressing into the fruit with a big serving spoon. Taste the liquid at the bottom of the bowl and adjust the flavoring if necessary. (It should be mild and not too overly acidic.)
Just before serving, pile the croutons (room temp or still warm) into the salad bowl, tear the basil into bowl, and gently fold everything together with the spoon. The croutons should soak up some of the juices from the bottom of the bowl but also remain somewhat crispy.
More California Summer Recipes
If you’re looking for more California-focused cooking inspiration, check out the LA Times’ piece about great ways to use summer corn or the brilliant recipe for Peach and Tomato Salad with Chaat Masala, Labneh, and Pomegranate Molasses that Frog Hollow recently developed in collaboration with Diaspora Co. And if you want something with summer flavors that’s a bit heartier and good for this week’s cooler evenings, try the recipe Marcella Beans with Green Garlic and Parsley Pistou that Rancho Gordo posted recently.
Photo: Georgia Freedman