Grilled Peach and Shishito Salad

From a blend of herbs harvested at the beginning of Spring to pumpkin seeds roasted later in the Fall, locally sourced and seasonally inspired ingredients are always at the heart of Blackberry Farm cuisine. At any point in the year, guests experience menus that offer an authentic taste of the land and a modern approach to traditional Southern fare. 

Currently featured on the Summer menu at The Barn at Blackberry Farm® is a grilled peach and shishito salad by Sous Chef Colin Shillingburg. This dish features fresh fruits and vegetables with a thoughtful touch of acidity and crunch, making for a dish that is complex in flavor while still approachable for at-home chefs. Get the recipe below to recreate a taste of Blackberry Farm-inspired flavor in your own kitchen!

Grilled Peach and Shishito Salad with Pecans, Benne Wafer & Tomato Vinaigrette
(Serves 6)

Pecan Condiment

• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
• ¼ cup tomato oil* or extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste

In a bowl, combine toasted pecans, shallot, Aleppo pepper and tomato/olive oil. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.

*Tomato Oil (Optional)

• 2 tomatoes
• 2 cups neutral oil

Blend two tomatoes with 2 cups of neutral oil until smooth. Bring this to a simmer in a heavy bottom pot and cook out the water, stirring occasionally until you have a bright red oil and the tomato pulp starts to clump.

Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer with a cheese cloth. Put in the fridge until cool.

Tomato Vinaigrette

• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ tomato (approx. 3 ½ ounces)
• 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cups tomato oil or 2 cups olive oil
• 1-2 teaspoons salt

In a blender, combine Dijon, tomato and tomato/olive oil. Blend on high speed until emulsified (about 30 seconds). Add vinegar and salt, and mix briefly to combine.

Benne Wafer

• ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour
• ¾ cup water
• ⅓ cup neutral oil
• ¼ cup benne or sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 300°F. Whisk all wafer ingredients thoroughly for 1 minute. Spread batter evenly across a 13”x18” baking tray. (If using a smaller tray, reserve excess batter to avoid a thick wafer.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely, then break into bite-sized pieces.

Cucumber

• ½ English cucumber

Using a mandolin, shave the cucumber into long ribbons. Stack ribbons, halve lengthwise along the seed line, then cut into 3-inch segments.

Now that you’ve prepared the individual components, it’s time to combine them in your salad!

Salad:

• 4-5 ripe peaches
• 12-15 shishito peppers
• 1 lemon
• ½ English cucumber
• 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Grilled Peaches and Peppers:

Halve peaches and remove pits. Grill peach halves flesh-side down over high heat for about 1 minute to create light char marks. Flip briefly (20 seconds) to loosen skin. Let cool, peel, and cut into wedges and dice for texture.

Grill shishito peppers in a perforated tray, tossing occasionally until blistered and tender. Remove stems and slice into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt.

To assemble:

1. Spread a layer of tomato vinaigrette on serving plates.
2. In a bowl, lightly toss peaches, peppers and cucumber with lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
3. Arrange over the vinaigrette.
4. Spoon pecan condiment over the salad.
5. Finish with torn basil and benne wafer.