Peach Salad

Ripe peaches and kiwi sliced up and bathed in fresh orange and lemon juice with a scatter of mint on top. That’s it. No cooking, no fuss, just fruit doing what fruit does best when you give it a little time in the fridge.

The citrus juices pull double duty here: they season the fruit and keep the peach slices from browning while everything chills. A few hours in the refrigerator lets the flavors meld and the natural sugars draw out into a light, fragrant syrup at the bottom of the bowl. The mint infuses gently from the top down.

This is the kind of dish you bring to a summer cookout and watch vanish before the burgers are done.

Chef Tips

• Use peaches that are ripe but still slightly firm so they hold their shape after chilling. Mushy peaches will fall apart.
• Stir gently. Really gently. You want slices, not peach mash.
• Chill for at least 2 hours. That resting time is where the magic happens as the juices marry and the mint does its thing.
• Serve cold, straight from the fridge. This doesn’t improve at room temperature.

Variations

• Add fresh raspberries or blueberries for a mixed fruit version.
• Swap the mint for fresh basil. Sounds odd, works brilliantly with peaches.
• Splash in a little white wine or prosecco for an adults-only version at parties.