Minty Peach Caprese Salad with Curry Vinaigrette

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An eccentric twist on the classic tomato salad, this Minty Peach Caprese Salad flirts with your savory and sweet palate. Drizzled with a homemade curry vinaigrette, this dressing adds a bright zing to this electrifying appetizer. Fresh mint and peaches pair excellently with smooth fresh mozzarella. Trust me, your taste buds and friends will scream for more.

It is always my goal to cook fresh and healthy eats. Yet my ultimate ambition is to find food-spiration with unique flavors and combinations. This recipe does just that. It makes people say “hmm that sounds interesting (or weird), I’ve never thought of peaches and curry”.

I found this recipe from the Sunset website and tweaked it just a tad. Knowing that I was going to make this Caprese Salad, I blabbed about it all week at work. Everyone said they would be nervous to try it, including my husband. Unfortunately for him, he is my taste tester and does not have a choice. A substitute paraprofessional in my classroom said that she had a ton of fresh mint growing rampant in her backyard. She kindly brought me a HUGE bag of mint the next day. Score.

Ready to make it yourself?

Ingredients

Serves 4

Preparation

1. In a nonstick skillet, toast curry powder over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, a shade darker, and just starting to smoke, 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let cool briefly. Whisk in olive oil, vinegar, and honey. Set aside.

2. Slice mozzarella into 1/2-in.-thick pieces and set aside. Cut peaches in half. Remove pits. Set each half flat on cutting board and slice into 1/2-in.-thick half-moons; set aside. Pluck mint leaves from stems and set aside.

3. Set out 4 small plates and build a loose tower of salad on each: Lay piece of peach in center, top with a leaf or two of mint, lay a piece of mozzarella, or repeat layering 2 or 3 times. Top each stack with a sprig of mint. Drizzle with curry vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and scatter a few mint leaves on each plate.

It took only moments to assemble. My fork basically melted through the soft juicy peaches and moist mozzarella. A quick swipe across my plate sopped up the tangy vinaigrette. My mouth was filled with a flavor explosion of subtle sweet notes from the peach, savory flavors from the curry and mozzarella and cool notes from the mint. This was straight up divine and genius.

* Recipe from Sunset August 2007 *