A delicious and different side dish for the grilling out, porch party days of summer: grilled peach, sweet onion & bacon salad with buttermilk herb dressing. Try it with fried chicken, grilled kabobs, even hamburgers.
Make the dressing and carmelize the bacon in advance (or just crisp up a natural, very tasty bacon like the one created by Artisan Meat and Cheese here in Bozeman — thank you Gregg & Renee!), then pop the peaches and onion slabs on the grill to char and soften a bit. Lay everything out over fresh garden greens and enjoy! A big thank you to last summer’s Food & Wine for the original recipe.
Grilled Peach, Sweet Onion & Bacon Salad
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet onions, Walla Walla or Vidalia, cut into 1” thick slices
- 4 large peaches, halved and pitted
- 1 pound tasty bacon
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- olive oil for grilling
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Olivelle peach balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons each, chopped: mint, parsley, chives
- season with salt and pepper
Dressing:
Instructions
- Bacon: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange bacon slices on parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cayenne. Bake for 25 minutes until carmelized. Let cool then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients together with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Refrigerate.
- Grill: Brush onion slices and peach halves with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill onions over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until soft and charred, about 10 minutes. Grill peaches until tender, about 2 minutes; remove from grill, cool slightly and cut into wedges.
- To serve, lay out the onion rings, peaches & bacon on a platter, drizzle with a bit of dressing, and serve right away.
Notes
Amy’s Kitchen Coach Tips
Make dressing in advance and chill in refrigerator to let the herb flavors infuse into the cream.
No grill? Don’t worry! Just broil the onions and peaches on a sheet pan in the oven.
Ripe Food & Wine | http://www.ripefoodandwine.com | Amy Andrews amy@ripefoodandwine.com
