Bite Of Minnesota: Grilled Peach & Arugula Salad

It's going to be a hot Fourth of July and an even hotter one for those on grill duty. For as long as I can remember, grilling and Independence Day go hand in hand (along with fireworks, of course).

While hamburgers, hot dogs and brats are easy go-to, especially when socializing is also a priority, I gravitate to the more unusual like fruits, pizza, and even salad. Yes! You can grill salad! Throw a head of romaine on the cool area of a grill for a couple of minutes and chop it up with some fresh romaine to make a smoky salad.

I'm planning on grilling pizza on my new pizza stone and serving a salad with grilled peaches too. The salad is super simple to put together and great to make ahead of time: just make the dressing, prep the salad and add the grilled peaches right before serving.

Arugula Salad with Grilled Peaches and Mozzarella
(from Farmhouse Table blog)

Tip: to reduce the bite of the red onion, soak in white wine vinegar for 20 minutes before using

3-4 large handfuls arugula, washed and dried
¼ red onion, sliced thinly
5 oz. buffalo mozarella or other fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon or whole grain mustard
2 tbsp minced herbs (basil, thyme, chives or parsley)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp heavy cream
6 firm peaches, cut in half and pitted
Salt
Olive oil

To prepare salad, arrange arugula on a serving dish along with sliced red onion and buffalo mozzarella. For the dressing, combine white wine vinegar, honey, mustard, herbs, olive oil and cream in a mason jar and shake until combined. Set aside until ready to add peaches.

Lightly salt the cut sides of the peaches and brush with olive oil. Place cut side down on the grill grate over medium heat (usually the sides of the grill). Grill until peaches are charred but still firm. Remove from heat, slice into wedges and arrange on top of arugula. Drizzle with dressing and season with salt and pepper and serve.