This is a great little salad to have on a hot summer’s afternoon. The crunch of the almonds, acidity of the red onion vinaigrette, sweetness of the nectarines and saltiness of the goat’s cheese and Parma create the perfect flavour combination. Serve with a chilled glass of good white wine and enjoy with deserving friends.
*recipe developed for the Stone Fruit Association by Justin Bonello
You’ll Need:
A decent glug of Olive Oil
2 Red Onions, finely sliced
A big handful of Baby Spinach
4 Nectarines, pitted and cut into wedges
A couple of tablespoons of Cider Vinegar
A pinch of Sugar
Salt and cracked Black Pepper to taste
A small handful of Almond Shavings, toasted
About half a tube of Goat’s Cheese, crumbled
A couple of slithers of Parma Ham, torn
Preheat your oven to 180°C and while that’s on the go, heat up the olive oil in a non-stick pan and fry the onions until soft (about 10 minutes) stirring often. While they are frying, mix together the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, and just before the onions are done, stir through the vinaigrette and take the pan off the heat. By now your oven should be at the perfect temperature, so pop your almonds onto a baking tray and toast them until golden brown. In the meantime arrange the baby spinach and nectarines on a platter and pour over the warm onions. Grab the (toasted, not burnt) almonds out of the oven and sprinkle over the salad along with the crumbled goats cheese and Parma ham shavings. Season to taste and tuck in.
