Summer Peach, Cucumber and Mint Salad

Summer Peach, Cucumber and Mint Salad uses up surplus peaches in a mix that is as cool and refreshing as it gets.

From the grocery store to the farmer’s market to the peach truck that came to Bering’s last week (when a whole long line of cars took delivery of 25 pounds of peaches each), Texas peaches are everywhere. 

Determined to do something different with ours (thank you Mary Clark Granberry for sharing your 25-pound haul with us!), I brainstormed how to use them in their freshest state, sweet and a little crunchy. It was almost 100 degrees outside, so cool, summery and refreshing were my parameters. Cool always make me think cucumber. So I decided to give an unlikely peach-cucumber pairing a go. 

It might sound strange, but the combination of peaches and cucumbers with cooling mint, spicy jalapeño and salty feta is as far from strange as it gets. I served it to a wide variety of tastebuds – fruit-lovers and veggie-haters alike – to rave reviews. Everyone had seconds and there were a couple who had thirds. 

Cold, no cooking required and second helpings. I think this was a win.

Summer Peach, Cucumber and Mint Salad

Ingredients for salad:

4 small peaches, still a little firm, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
½ cup chopped fresh mint
¾ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
¼ cup crumbled feta
Lemon Shallot Dressing (recipe below)

Recipe directions for salad:

Toss all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Serve cold.

Lemon Shallot Dressing

Ingredients for dressing:

1 small shallot, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Recipe directions for dressing:

In a small bowl, stir together the shallot, lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Let this sit for 15 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.