Grilled Peach Salad with Ginger-Miso Vinaigrette

Sweet meets heat in this vegan grilled peach salad! Grilling yields a custardy, caramelized, and smokey peach, boosted with a zesty ginger-miso vinaigrette. Bring it to life with peppery arugula, cooling cucumber, and crunchy walnuts to make a perfect appetizer or meal!

Recipe and Photography by Nicole Gresko

Forge To Table Knives

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 appetizer salads (yields ½ cup dressing)

Ingredients:

Ginger-Miso Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon tahini/sesame paste

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce (gluten-free)

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 tablespoon white miso

• 1 teaspoon mirin

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated

• 1 each Thai red chile, minced (cayenne pepper, to taste, as substitute)

• Salt & pepper, to taste

Salad:

• 1 cup water, boiling

• ½ cup white quinoa, dry

• 2 each ripe peaches

• Cooking spray, as needed

• 8-ounces baby arugula

• ½ large English cucumber, sliced into half-moons

• ½ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil and stir in dry quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until quinoa is soft and spindles have unwound, about 12-15 minutes. Drain the quinoa if necessary, and let cool in the fridge.

2. In a medium bowl, combine tahini, rice vinegar, soy sauce, water, white miso, mirin, sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced chile/cayenne. Whisk vigorously or use an immersion blender to combine until smooth. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Preheat a grill to high. Using a Forge To Table 6" Japanese Style Utility Knife, slice the peaches in half, and remove the seed. Spray the grill with cooking spray, and place each half onto the grill.

4. Cook, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes before carefully turning 45 degrees for a cross pattern, cooking for another 2 minutes. Once the fruit has beautiful grill marks, remove it from heat. Once peaches have cooled, slice each half into 4 pieces and reserve.

5. In a large mixing or serving bowl, place baby arugula, cold quinoa, and ginger-miso dressing, and mix together until everything is coated. Divide evenly onto four salad plates, if desired, and top with sliced cucumber, chopped walnuts, and peach pieces. Enjoy immediately!

Chef’s Notes:

• Warm edamame or pulled pork is a great addition to make the salad an entree!

• Peaches can be “grilled” in a broiler if a grill is unavailable. Spray peach halves with non-stick spray and place under a high broiler until lightly charred, about 4-6 minutes.

• Salad can be prepared in advance up to Step 5, and assembled with dressing on the side if eating later.

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