The South is blessed with exquisite peaches all summer long. Whether yours come from the Carolinas, Texas, Georgia, or Alabama, the sweet-tart fruit is one of the best things about the warmer months here. But every so often, you still might end up with a dud peach or two. If they happen to be picked too soon and are a bit underripe, you’re actually in luck. Green Peach Salad is so good, you’ll start to seek out unripe fruit.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
What Is Green Peach Salad?
Most peach salads combine the soft and juicy fruit with greens, tomatoes, cheese, and other ingredients. This recipe is much simpler, and only requires a handful of pantry staples. The fruit is sliced thinly and tossed with sugar and salt, then you add olive oil, black pepper, and fresh mint and chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. When they are ready to eat, the once-flavorless peach slices take on a slightly savory note from the olive oil and a kick from the pepper.
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A North Carolina Specialty
Once served at the legendary Chapel Hill, North Carolina restaurant Crooks Corner, the salad was created as a way to prevent waste. Former head chef and writer Bill Smith said it was a favorite among regular customers. “Every summer, I’d get bushels of peaches from my farmer friend Walter Atwater, and there would always be some unripe ones. Necessity is the mother of invention. This recipe solves that problem and may actually make you prefer the green ones,” he says.
Make It Your Own
- Swap out the mint for basil, or use an equal amount of both.
- Use a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper instead of black pepper.
- Fruity olive oils shine in this recipe, so be sure to use the good stuff.
