One of the only things I love about summer in the South is PEACHES!  I seriously eat so many peaches over the course of a few weeks that I should turn into a peach.

Usually I end up making a million pies or cobblers which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it can get a little boring.  Last summer in an effort to cut back on dessert (you know summer bod and all) I came up with this panzanella recipe.  It’s great as a side dish with anything grilled.  You could also toss some shrimp or chicken in to make it a main dish.  So yummy, light and refreshing!

Peach Cornbread Panzanella

2 cups day old cornbread, cubed
2 large peaches, peeled and diced
1 cup English cucumber, diced
1 cup tomato, diced
¼ cup red onion, sliced paper thin
2 Tablespoons grainy mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread cornbread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cornbread is dried out and toasted. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, vinegar, parsley and olive oil. Add onions and let sit for 5-10 minutes (this will help mellow the onions out a bit). Season with salt & pepper.

In a large bowl, stir together cornbread, peaches, cucumber and tomato. Add dressing and toss gently to coat, being careful not to break up the cornbread too much. Serve immediately.

Source: Ruth’s Table, 2020.