This Peach, Rocket and Feta Salad is a beautiful Summer salad. Perfect when peaches are in season. A simple but oh so delicious combination - fresh ripe sweet peach slices, peppery rocket, salty feta and the crunch of toasted pinenuts. You could also grill the peach slices before adding them to the salad.
In a small frying pan, toast your pine nuts over medium heat (watch them constantly as they will burn very easily) until golden. Stir them a few times while they are toasting so they colour evenly. Set aside to cool.
Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper or place ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake well to combine.
To assemble, place the rocket onto a platter along with julienned basil leaves. Pour enough dressing to just coat and dress the leaves. Toss to combine. Scatter peach slices all over, along with toasted pinenuts. Crumble over the goats or feta cheese. Drizzle over a little more dressing and serve.
Notes
Please watch your pinenuts when you're toasting them so they don’t burn (see Ingredients above).When assembling the salad, I like to hold back a few peach slices and once I've given the salad a gentle toss, I pop these remaining slices over the top of the salad for presentation.Prep Ahead:
Pinenuts can be toasted 1-2 days in advance. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Dressing can be made earlier in the day and kept covered in a cool part of the kitchen. I have made my dressing the night before and left it in a jar on the kitchen counter and it's been fine.
Goats cheese - if using a variety that comes packed in oil, this can be drained earlier in the day on paper towels (see above) and kept in the fridge until required.
TO SERVE / SUGGESTIONS:I prefer to serve this salad on a large platter instead of a bowl. It visually looks so much better.If you don’t like pinenuts, then either chopped pistachios, walnuts or chopped roasted almonds would work beautifully in this salad.You could also use nectarines instead of peaches.This salad can also be served with thinly sliced prosciutto or jamon draped over it.