Tomato fig peach prosciutto and burrata salad

People always ask what my favorite season is and I find it quite hard to pick one. Each season brings its beautiful fruits and vegetables but summer would be my favorite. Summer arrives with its glorious stone fruits, cherries, berries, melons, figs, tomatoes, avocado, zucchini, squash, and their beautiful blossoms. I find myself eating even more salads, churning a lot of ice cream, and turning on my oven as often as winter to turn those beautiful fruits and vegetables into delicious tarts, pies, and cakes. Summer is also the perfect time for indulging in lazy afternoons and gathering with friends over delicious meals that go into the wee hours of the morning. Speaking of gatherings, today we’re sharing our favorite summer salad that is often served at dinner parties. The heroes behind this salad are sweet summer fruits--heirloom tomatoes, figs, and peaches--which provide a nice contrast to the creaminess of burrata and saltiness of prosciutto. 

It’s an effortless salad that can be thrown together in a few minutes but requires hunting for the best ingredients at your local farmers markets the day before. Your guests will love this salad and don’t be surprised if it becomes your favorite summer salad.

Tomato, fig, peach, prosciutto, and burrata salad
8 ripe figs (Black Mission figs, Brown Turkey figs, or your favorite), torn in half
2 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved if big
2 peaches, ripe but firm, thinly sliced
1-2 whole burrata
8 slices of prosciutto
¼ cup of basil leaves

For the salad dressing
1 tablespoon of raw honey
2 tbsps of good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a small sauce bowl, whisk the ingredients for the salad dressing together and set aside. Keep in mind that the cheese and prosciutto are slightly salty.

2. Arrange the salad ingredients on a serving platter. Garnish with basil leaves.

3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.