Have you noticed peaches popping up in more and more salads lately?  They seem to be jumping onto an increasing number of lunch and dinner menus, and we’re pumped about it. Sandwiches, green salads, grain salads: all made extra delicious by the presence of peaches.

Summer may be in the homestretch, but it sure feels like it’s going strong: after a few mild days, we’re jumping back into a heatwave—not that we’re all that unhappy about it. Packing in the heat before we’re permanently jacketed for the winter is just find by us. As we reel towards fall off of our busiest summer yet (wedding! travel! moving! general adulting!), we’re lucky to find a few spare minutes to cook up something quick.

So between our schedules and the heat—and let’s be honest, a summer’s worth of ice cream and s’mores and fruit pies—we’re living on a whole lot of salads these days. And while we still can, we’re tossing perfect September peaches into our bowls, too.

Here’s one of our favoritefavoritefavorite quick meals this time of year: hearty, healthy, and insanely delicious. The farro gives this salad great chew and nutty flavor, while the shishito peppers and scallions give it some bite. The salty feta, simple lemony vinaigrette, and fresh mint brighten things up. And all of these great things together: the perfect backdrop to the tastiest peaches you can get your mitts on.

Here’s to soaking in all the sunshine-twirling, window-down driving, sand-rolling, barefoot-grass walking, melty ice cream-eating, picnic dinnering, drippy peach-eating you can this month!

* * * *

Farro Salad with Peaches, Feta + Lemon Vinaigrette

Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

Salad Ingredients:

• 8 oz. package of quick cooking farro
• 5 scallions
• 5 shishito peppers
• 3 peaches, firm but ripe
• 1/2 lb crumbled feta (sheep’s milk  if you can find it)
• fistful of fresh mint
• lemon vinaigrette (recipe below)
• juice of 2 lemons, plus zest of one
• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and black pepper to taste

– Cook and drain the farro according to your package directions, let cool to room temperature.

– Cut up the peaches into bite-size pieces.

– Slice the scallions, and roughly chop the mint and shishito peppers.

– Add everything  to a large bowl, along with the feta.

– Toss it all with enough vinaigrette so the ingredients are coated but not drenched.

– Taste for seasoning and serve.

Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2/3 cup tasty olive oil
• kosher or sea salt to taste

– Put all ingredients in a jar, close the lid tightly, and give it a good shake until the dressing comes together. (Or, whisk together in a bowl, but stir in the zest with a fork after if you do or it will all get caught on the whisk.)

© 2015 Lee and Lou Cook. All rights reserved.