September always makes me a little wistful. Whether it’s because of the deep-seated childhood memories of going back to school, the fact that my birthday is mid-month or merely the seasonal change in the air, I find myself reflecting on Septembers past – and wondering what fall might bring. It’s also when I try to get my fill of my favourite farm-fresh summer produce, before it disappears for another 10 months or so.
You might expect me to be talking about tomatoes, but I’m not. Every year, in fact, I remind myself – dozens and dozens of pounds in – that it is actually possible for me to get tired of summer tomatoes. Peaches are another story.
My appreciation is so limitless, I’ve been trying to grow them at home, with mixed success thanks to ravenous squirrels. Last year, when I had a bounteous harvest, I resisted buying peaches at farmers markets – out of a sense of pride in my own – but this year, attempting to get my fill has meant returning to growers who are clearly so much better at this than I am. One of my favourite ways to use peaches, besides eating them out of hand, is to throw them into salads in place of (or in addition to) tomatoes.
A peach Caprese is a thing of beauty, and as I discovered, so is a peach panzanella, inspired by another Italian classic. The first time I tried the latter, I made a simple swap. The second time, I doubled down on the summer appeal by tossing in sweet corn kernels, too.
The third? To make it main-course worthy, I added black beans and feta. At this point, I couldn’t justify calling it a panzanella anymore, but it might be the best bread salad I’ve ever made. There will be no fourth iteration; by George, I think I’ve got it.
Next year, I’d love to be able to use homegrown peaches in the salad, among other dishes. But to be honest, in year five, the tree seems like it might already be on the wane. I had treated a fungus in early summer – successfully, I thought – but during one of August’s heat waves, all the leaves turned brown and are now falling off, much earlier than usual.
Maybe it was an anomaly, but maybe not. The peach tree’s apparent decline is probably contributing to my annual wistfulness, too. But rather than succumb to a funk, I’m taking my research to another level and getting serious about saving it.
Will I succeed? Check back in about 10 months. Bread Salad With Peaches, Corn and Black Beans This bread salad inspired by Italy’s classic panzanella bursts with flavour and texture from summer peaches, corn and feta, with black beans for extra heft and nutrition. If you have particularly dried-out stale bread on hand instead of fresh, you can skip the toasting.
Servings: 4-6 (makes about 9 cups) Total time: 25 mins Storage: The salad is best when freshly made, but you can refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Substitutions: Whole-grain sourdough >> your favorite crusty bread. Peaches >> nectarines, plums, apricots or a combination.
Fresh corn >> 1 1/2 cups frozen and defrosted corn kernels. Black beans >> cannellini, navy or other white beans. Canned beans >> home-cooked beans.
Basil >> mint. INGREDIENTS 8 ounces whole-grain sourdough bread, torn into bite-size pieces (3 cups) 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 large ears corn, still in the husk 2 pounds ripe peaches, pitted and cut into bite-size wedges One (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained (1 1/2 cups) 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced 2 ounces feta, crumbled 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper DIRECTIONS Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. On a large sheet pan, arrange the bread pieces in a single layer, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and toss to coat.
Toast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the bread is dried and fragrant but not browned. Let cool. Meanwhile, run tap water over the ears of corn to soak them, and transfer them to a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes, then let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Cut the stalk end off through the first row of kernels. Hold by the silk end and push or shake out the ear.
Cut each ear in half crosswise, then stand each half on a cutting board to cut off the kernels. Transfer the kernels to a large bowl, and add the peaches and black beans. When the bread has cooled, add it to the bowl with the other ingredients, along with the basil, feta, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the salt and pepper, and gently toss to combine.
Serve immediately. Nutritional information per serving (1 1/2 cups), based on 6: 358 calories, 13 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 53 g carbohydrates, 499 mg sodium, 8 mg cholesterol, 12 g protein, 7 g fiber, 15 g sugar. This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation.
It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice. From Food and Dining editor Joe Yonan..
