This blue cheese and nectarine salad is a winning flavor pairing. Sliced nectarines, peaches and apricots make excellent ingredients for summer salads when their sweetness is balanced with a savoury component. If blue cheese doesn't appeal, try feta, mozzarella, Parma ham or shredded roast chicken. Make ahead and pack up in a Tupperware box for a perfect picnic recipe.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
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For the nectarine dressing
- 1 ripe nectarine, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
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For the salad
- 3.5 oz sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized chunks (about 2 cups loosely packed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3.5 oz wild arugula leaves (about 4 cups loosely packed)
- 3 ripe nectarines, halved, pitted, and sliced
- 4.25 oz Stilton or other strong blue cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
The Homes & Gardens Method
- To make the dressing, blend all the ingredients with 1 tablespoon of water in a blender or mini food processor. Season to taste. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the sourdough bread with olive oil and bake for about 8 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp on the edges.
- A few minutes before assembling the salad, spoon one-third of the dressing over the toasted bread and toss to coat.
- Toss another third of the dressing with the arugula, nectarines, blue cheese, and croutons.
- Serve and drizzle with the remaining dressing to taste
If you want to keep your ingredients separate for transporting to a picnic, ensuring your salad leaves don't go soggy and your croutons stay crisp, ensure you have a good storage container, such as this Bentgo salad container from Amazon, which has separate compartments for your leaves, ingredients and even a pot for dressing, so you can assemble just before serving.
Like nectarine salads? Try this griddled nectarine salad with cucumber, green beans and pancetta.
