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Nectarine and mozzarella salad with basil vinaigrette recipe

A delicious summer salad of juicy nectarines, fresh mozzarella, feta, mint, walnuts, and a delicious basil vinaigrette.
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Nectarine, feta and mozzarella salad with basil vinaigrette recipe with mint and walnuts on a platter
Prep Time:10 minutes

Ingredients

Basil vinaigrette:

  • 30 grams basil leaves approx 2 cups lightly packed
  • 25 grams shallot ½ small, chopped
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice half a small lemon
  • 2 Tbsp white/red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil mild in flavour
  • ¾ tsp sea salt flakes such as Maldon
  • Pinch black pepper
  • ½ tsp honey – optional

Nectarine and mozzarella salad:

  • 4-5 ripe or slightly under-ripe nectarines cut in half and sliced into wedges
  • 1 ball of fior di latte mozzarella/Buffalo mozzarella or burrata. About 150gms net weight of cheese
  • 1 wheel goats milk feta or regular feta approx 70gms
  • Juice from half a small lemon
  • 1 Tbsp vodka optional
  • Small handful of chopped walnuts
  • Leaves from a couple of mint sprigs roughly torn
  • A small handful of wild rocket leaves
  • A generous coating of basil vinaigrette
  • Sea salt flakes and black pepper

Instructions

To Make the Basil Vinaigrette

  • strip the leaves from the stalks and place with all the ingredients into a small or power blender and blitz until smooth.
  • Pour the dressing into a jar and keep any leftover for later use.

Assemble the salad

  • Assemble the salad just before you want to serve it.
  • Place the sliced nectarines in a bowl with the vodka and lemon juice and give it a toss. Allow to soak for about 5 -10 minutes.
  • Scatter most of the sliced nectarines on a platter (reserving a few to go on top) and then break the mozzarella into rough pieces and place in and around the fruit.
  • Crumble the feta over the nectarines and mozzarella.
  • Scatter over the remaining nectarines. Generously drizzle the salad with basil vinaigrette.
  • Scatter the chopped walnuts, mint leaves, and wild rocket.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Choose nectarines that are ripe but not soft. You want to retain a little crunch. You could even work with slightly under-ripe nectarines here, just compensate with a little sweetness in the dressing.
Choose a neutral-flavored olive oil and a slightly sweeter vinegar.
Chopped walnuts work well as a crunchy textural element with this dish, but toasted pine nuts would also be delicious.
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Sam Linsell