For Your Best Tomatoes and Peaches Only

Tomatoes and peaches are at their ripest (and juiciest!) in summer, making this salad a perfect picnic side dish. Elle Simone

This recipe is designed for peak-of the season, perfectly ripe tomatoes and peaches from your garden or a local farm. It’s perfect for heirloom fruits. These varieties can’t withstand the rigors of long-distance shipping and are therefore locally grown and readily found at farmers markets.

If you like, serve this salad with crusty bread to sop up the dressing.

Summer Tomato and Peach Salad

Serves 4 to 6

• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 small ripe peaches
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Using a small serrated knife, cut each tomato in half from top to bottom (through the stem). Use the tip of the knife to cut out the core from each half. Cut tomatoes into wedges that are roughly 1/2-inch thick, then cut each wedge in half crosswise.