This Caprese Salad with Grilled Peaches and Bread cheese is a slight modification of the traditional tomato salad, adding a sweet and savory pairing.
Now that we're into the middle of September, it feels like fall has taken a firm hold. Especially with the number of Pumpkin Spice everything recipes that are flooding the internet. Which is why I feel a little funny posting this decidedly Summery recipe for Caprese Salad with Grilled Peaches and Bread Cheese. Well, my garden is still producing tomatoes and I just bought the fresh, local peaches from the market two days ago, so I'm going to go with it.
I've actually been making this salad for the past month or so. As many of my summer recipes, it started as an attempt to use up the fresh produce that is so abundant in my house at this time of the year. I had a countertop full of tomatoes and a box of peaches that were quickly getting too ripe. I had bought some bread cheese that needed a good home. And I have a large basil plant that I keep in my kitchen window.
It was of course, inspired by a traditional Caprese salad, which is tomatoes, basil and mozzarella seasoned with salt and pepper. I love the sweet addition of the peaches, and the slight smokiness that comes from grilling them.
You might be asking yourself just what exactly is bread cheese?? Excellent question, seeing as I had never heard of it either before I moved to Wisconsin. Bread cheese, or Juustoleipa is a cheese from Sweden and Finland that is baked, to give it a crust just like (surprise surprise) bread. It has a mild flavor, and firm, squeaky texture when it's warm. And you'll definitely want to serve it warm, either grilled, microwaved or warmed in a skillet.
I can't say how easy it is to find outside of Wisconsin. All I know is that I had never seen or heard of it when I lived in Edmonton, but maybe your local cheese shop could help you find it. Here in the Dairy State, it's available in almost every grocery store I frequent.
Keep your eyes open for one more peach recipe hitting the blog soon, but after that I'll probably be moving on to more Fall-ish fare. I'm thinking soups, stews, slow cooker fare. What do you want to see coming up this Fall?
Caprese Salad with Grilled Peaches and Bread Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound peaches cut in half and pits removed, about 2 medium
- 6 ounces Juustoleipa Bread Cheese
- 1 ½ lbs tomatoes cored and cut into bite-sized pieces, any type
- ¼ cup basil leaves chiffonade (stack leaves, then roll like a cigar and thinly slice leaves into ribbons)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Light grill and turn all burners to high. Heat for about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grates and turn all burners to medium. Lightly brush the cut sides of the peaches with olive oil.
- Place peaches, cut side down, on grill. Grill until peaches have developed grill marks and are beginning to soften, 5-8 minutes.
- Flip peaches so they are skin down. Place Juustoleipa on the grill. Grill until browned on one side and beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes, flip. Remove peaches when the skin side has browned and softened (5-8 minutes after flipping), remove Juustoleipa when browned and softened (3 minutes after flipping). Allow to cool to handle.
- Slice peaches and cut Juustoleipa into ½ inch (1cm) cubes. Place peach slices, Juustoleipa cubes, tomatoes and basil into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss lightly, serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
Caprese Salad with Grilled Peaches and Bread Cheese Nutrition Notes
The above nutrition information is for a side or starter sized portion. That sized portion provides you with 2.5 servings of vegetables and fruits and 1.5 servings of milk and alternatives. If you want to cut down on the calories and fat in the salad, you can reduce the amount of olive oil you use, but not by more than half to avoid compromising the flavor.
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