3 Farm-Fresh Ingredients, 3 Fantastic Plates
Tomato, basil and peach pair nicely in these dishes put together by Hal B. Klein to celebrate the season’s bounty.

Toast with Heirloom Tomato and Fried Egg + a Peach-Basil Smoothie
Toast
- 2 slices quality bread
- 1 heirloom slicing tomato,
- such as Purple Cherokee,
- Brandywine or Black Krim
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 basil leaves
- 2 eggs
Toast bread in the broiler. Top each piece of toast with a thick slice of heirloom slicing tomato. Shave about 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on each piece of toast. Return to broiler for 1 minute. Top both with 1 basil leaf. Top both with a fried egg, over easy. Add a pinch of finishing salt.
Smoothie
- 2 white peaches
- 1/8 cup Thai basil leaves
- Handful of spinach
- ½ cup blueberries
- ¾ cup hemp or almond milk
- 4 to 5 ice cubes
- Pinch of salt
Pit peaches. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Tomato, Peach and Ricotta Salata Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Dressing
- 1½ tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 5 large Italian basil leaves
- Pinch salt
- 5 tablespoons high-quality olive oil
Blend all ingredients, except the oil. Next blend in oil, slowly.
Salad
- 1 cup diced yellow peaches
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomato, such as Juliet or Sungold
- ¾ cup sweet, crisp salad greens, such as edible chrysanthemum
- 1/3 cup cubed ricotta salata
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced red onion (presoaked in water for 1 hour)
- 1 tablespoon chopped spearmint
- Fennel fronds (optional but nice)
- Basil vinaigrette (see above)
- Salt, to season
Combine all ingredients; toss afterward.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Roasted Peach-Tomato Salsa Topped with Basil-Infused Olive Oil
Oil
- 6 basil leaves
- ½ cup high-quality olive oil
In the morning — or up to a week prior — muddle basil leaves into oil. Set aside, loosely covered.
Salsa
- 2 white peaches
- 4 paste tomatoes, such as San Marzano,
- Amish Paste or Heinz Paste
- 1 jalapeño or poblano pepper
- ¼ cup diced shallot
- 1 clove diced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 3 shredded basil leaves
- Salt and white pepper, to season
Grill peaches, tomatoes and pepper on a hot propane grill or (better) over hot coals for 3 minutes, turning once. Let grilled items cool until warm to the touch and then dice. While still warm, add in the shallot, garlic, cilantro and basil leaves; season with salt and white pepper.
Steak
- 1 pound skirt steak
- Salt and pepper, to season
Season steak with salt and pepper 1 hour before cooking. Cook over high heat for 1.5 minutes per side. Allow steak to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice against the grain. To serve, top with a generous portion of salsa and 1 tablespoon basil oil.