Transform a favorite Italian salad – Grilled Peach Caprese combines fresh peaches, burrata, basil, and blackberry balsamic into a perfect summer day appetizer!
My favorite fruit has been a hard thing to nail down.
For the longest time, I swore it was the orange. I ate and drank so much of them, I probably had enough vitamin C for two people running through me at any given time.
In the last ten years, though, I’ve had love affairs with pineapple, cherries, grapes, apples, strawberries, pomegranate. Each fruit managed to weasel its way into my heart and kitchen, and they’ve rotated their way through being a star in my cooking and baking.
Now here we are, Summer of ’16…and peaches have been most plentiful in the Crumby house.
Grilled Peach Caprese with Blackberry Balsamic
Mr. Crumby and I are both very active in the kitchen, sometimes fighting over who’s cooking dinner. (Yeah, be jealous, ladies.) I always considered the oven to be my domain, however. I left the grilling to him, but it seems like that’s become my domain this summer, too.
The desire to grill has been strong in me, so much so that we’ve already gone through two full propane tanks since mid-May.
Grilled fruit is a bandwagon I just recently (liiiiiiiike last week) jumped on, but the appeal is obvious once you’ve tried it for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with taking the natural sweetness of a favorite fruit and elevating by giving it a little bit of a different flavor.
You know…summertime, Sunday afternoon in the backyard, smell of sprinklers watering the hot humid grass, tongs in one hand & a beer in the other flavor.
So far, all of my attempts have been gas grilled, but I’m really looking forward to giving some of the bourbon barrel chips I bought in the spring a try. Imagine the possibilities!
So, why caprese with peaches?
Uhm, why not.
I promise, they don’t bastardize the caprese. Classic caprese is my faaaaaaaaaave salad in the world, (really, what’s not to love about tomatoes and cheese?) and while this variation could never replace the original, it’s absolutely up there among dishes I’d eat on a weekly basis.
The peaches are less acidic than tomatoes, but the balance is brought on by the homemade blackberry balsamic reduction.
Which is so good, I couldn’t keep myself from licking the spoon. Honestly, I would drizzle it on everything if I could get away with it.
If anyone wants to send me some blackberries from their backyard, I’d happily make a huge batch to last me all winter. I might even send you some back.
I can happily say that the basil used in this grilled peach caprese recipe is from my very own little backyard garden!
You might recall last summer, when I was gushing about my zucchini plant and how it was sprouting? And then it died in August, and only bore like two actual zucchini, neither of which got big enough to use?
Yeah, so my green thumb hasn’t really improved – I’ve only had a few wins (I blame Florida heat, mostly,) but this basil is the biggest win of all. It’s suffering a bit right now thanks to the high temps and little rain we’ve had, but it’s still going strong!
Strong enough to bear me some perfect leaves for cocktails and caprese. Thanks heavens, because basil is pretty much the best herb ever.
And a recipe including cheese wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t rave a bit about it, right?
BURRATA!!! Insert a million heart eyes emojis right here. If there’s one cheese you have to try in your life, it’s this one. Mozzarella inception, blessed by a little cream that turns it into a perfect food. I fell in love a year ago and haven’t turned back.
I’m looking for more reasons to work burrata into my life, and I’m taking suggestions.
Not that I NEED reasons, it just feels better to not eat it straight from the container like a barbarian.
Not that I DO that or anything…
- 2 freestone peaches, cut in 1/4-inch slices
- 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
- Olive oil, for brushing
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 – 4 oz. burrata balls (or fresh mozzarella slices)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Lightly brush grill with olive oil, then preheat on medium flame. Brush both sides of peach slices with olive oil.
- Place peach slices on grill, grilling each side for 1 1/2-2 minutes, until grill marks appear. Place on paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- Brush baguette slices with olive oil on both sides. Grill each side for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Place water and blackberries in a small saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil, macerating berries with a potato masher or back of a large spoon. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 7-10 minutes.
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl. Pour berry sauce through strainer, pressing the solids to extract all the juice. Discard solids and return juice to saucepan.
- Place saucepan back on heat and add balsamic vinegar. Allow to boil 5 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until sauce has reduced and thickened. Cool and pour into a small bottle or jar.
- Arrange peach slices and basil leaves alternately in a semi-circle on a plate. Place a ball of burrata in the middle, then drizzle with blackberry balsamic. Serve with grilled baguette slices. Enjoy!
Peaches are the perfect summer fruit – and there are so many ways to enjoy them!
Starters:
- Bourbon & Peach Porkbelly Bites by Girl Abroad
- Cherry-Peach Bruschetta by Dessert Geek
- Grilled Peach Caprese with Blackberry Balsamic by The Crumby Cupcake
- How to Make Peach Gazpacho with Cucumber by Asian in America
- Peach Blueberry Burrata Quesadilla by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
Breakfasts:
- Peach Pancakes with Peach Maple Syrup by Magnolia Days
- Peaches and Cream Crepes by A Mind Full Mom
- Peaches and Cream Smoothie Bowl by Family Foodie
Beverages:
- Brandy Peach Lemonade by Nosh My Way
- Citrus Peach Sangria by Sunday Supper Movement
- Dairy-Free Strawberry Peach Smoothie by Cooking Chat
- Frozen Peach Margarita by Angels Home Sweet Homestead
- Peach and Blueberry Wine Slushies by Cooking with Carlee
- Peach Ginger Bellini by kimchi MOM
- Peach Whiskey Smash by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Trà Đào (Vietnamese Peach Tea) by Curious Cuisiniere
Condiments:
- Ginger Peach Freezer Jam by Peaceful Cooking
Sides & Salads:
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- Fresh Peach Cucumber Salad by Food Lust People Love
- Italian Peach Panzanella Bread Salad by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Syrup by La Bella Vita Cucina
- Peach, Tomato and Mint Salad by Our Good Life
Main Dishes:
- Chicken, Peaches, and Arugula on a Focaccia Roll by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Easy Peach & Basil Flatbread by My Life Cookbook
- Grilled Peaches and Shrimp Shish Kabobs by The Freshman Cook
- Peach Glazed Pork Chops and Stuffing by Life Tastes Good
- Pork Tacos with Grilled Peach Salsa by Baking Sense
- Roasted Flank Steak with Fresh Peach Pico de Gallo by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Desserts:
- Any Fruit Custard Pie by Wholistic Woman
- Biscuit Topped Peach Cobbler by Palatable Pastime
- Blueberry Peach Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake by The Chef Next Door
- Easy Peach Cobbler Minis by April Golightly
- Frozen Peach Cheesecake by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Gluten Free Peach Apricot Crisp by Desserts Required
- Grilled Peach Melba by Hardly A Goddess
- Honey Almond Ricotta Stuffed Grilled Peaches by She Loves Biscotti
- No-Churn Peach Pie Ice Cream by The Redhead Baker
- Peaches and Cream Cobbler Popsicles by Crazed Mom
- Peaches and Cream Pie by Cooking on the Ranch
- Peach and Pistachio Tart by Caroline’s Cooking
- Peach Sherbet by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Peach Honey Pecan Galette by The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Peach Willy by Monica’s Table
- Roasted Peach and Lime Sorbet by Brunch-n-Bites
- Rustic Peaches & Cream by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Simple Peach Cobbler by Where Latin Meets Lagniappe
- Spiked Skillet Peach, Pecan and Blueberry Crumble by From Gate to Plate
- Streusel-Topped Peach Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Summer Fruit Pie by Pies and Plots
PIN THIS PEACH CAPRESE SALAD FOR LATER!
David @ CookingChat says
what a delicious take on Caprese!
Erica says
Thank you, David!
Liz says
I ate a Caprese salad in nearly every city we visited in Italy, but I would have been just as thrilled with this peach version! Stunning appetizer!
Erica says
I can’t wait to gobble up all the caprese in Italy someday!! Did each city version have a different taste, I wonder?
Laura Dembowski says
I can’t ever pick a favorite fruit. I was so into bananas for the longest time, but now I love peaches and cherries and blackberries and pineapple and pretty much all the fruit. Fruit pairs so well with balsamic.
Erica says
Oh, I’ve always loved bananas for their versatility, but they were never my favorite. But yes! All of those fruits are just <3 aren't they!?
Eileen says
I love this twist on the Caprese salad, and it is stunning to look at.
monica says
What a great take on one of my favorite dishes! I can’t wait to try this. Thanks for the inspiration!!!!
Serena says
These have my name all over them! What wonderful little bites of deliciousness!
Cindy Kerschner says
Lovely presentation! This sounds like a delicious way to make caprese!