Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Peach Salad

Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Peach Salad

Serves 4

* 1 large heirloom tomato
* 2 ripe Donut peaches
* olive oil
* salt
* pepper
* ¼ cup chopped oil-cured black olives
* lemon zest
* chimichurri sauce (recipe below)

1. Preheat grill to medium temperature.

2. Cut peaches by cutting around the pit in a square. You will have four pieces, each one getting smaller with each progressive cut. Brush the flesh side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on well-oiled grill and cook for 2 minutes. Rotate the peaches 90 degrees and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from grill. Slice 2/3 of the peaches a ¼ inch thick from skin side to center. Dice the remaining peaches.

3. Cut the tomato into ¼ inch discs.

4. To serve: Place a slice of tomato on a plate and sprinkle with a little salt. Top with a teaspoon of chimichurri and then a slice of peach. Repeat Drizzle a teaspoon of chimichurri around the plate and zest a quarter of a lemon over the plate.

Chimichurri Sauce

* ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
* ¼ cup sherry vinegar
* 2 Tbl lemon juice
* 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
* 6 Tbl finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 2 Tbl finely chopped oregano
* 1 Tbl finely chopped thyme
* 2 tsp finely chopped tarragon
* ½ tsp salt
* ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Hierloom Cherry Tomato and Garlic Bread Soup

Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Prepare at least one hour before use.

Olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions

½cup thinly sliced garlic cloves, plus 1 whole clove

4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 10 to 12 slices), toasted

1 pints cherry, grape and currant tomatoes, halved

1/8 pound grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus thinly sliced fresh basil for garnish

1 ½ quarts chicken stock

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Heat the oven to 350 F.

In a large skillet over medium, heat ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the onions and saute until slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the ½ cup of sliced garlic and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Season the chicken stock with salt and pepper.

Lightly coat a 2 ½-quart baking dish with olive oil. Layer half of the bread slices over the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon half of the onion mixture over the bread, then top with half of the tomatoes, a third of the grated Parmesan cheese and the chopped basil.

Layer the remaining toast over the onions and tomatoes, then top with the remaining onions and tomatoes. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheese over the dish.

Add 3 cups of the stock and wait 5 minutes for the bread to absorb it. Add another cup of stock and wait another few minutes. Continue adding stock (up to 6 cups total) until the liquid comes to within ¼ inch of the top of the dish. Reserve remaining stock.

Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the ingredients, then cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove the foil, increase heat to 400 F and bake until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Once cooled, cut into 8 servings and arrange each in a shallow serving bowl.

Heat the reserved chicken stock, then ladle some around (not over) each serving. Garnish with basil and parsley.