TOMATO, THYME AND PEACH SALAD

10 MINS

SERVES 4

If you don’t like anchovies, swap for capers or pitted olives. Use any shape, size and colour of tomatoes you like, as long as they’re ripe. Storing them on the kitchen counter rather than in the fridge will help ripen them.

– ½ red onion, very finely sliced

– 2 tbsp apple-cider vinegar, red-wine vinegar or lemon juice

– 400g ripe tomatoes, halved or sliced depending on size

– 2 small, ripe flat white peaches (about 120g), each one destoned and sliced into 8

– small pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

– a handful of shaved Parmesan, pecorino or British hard cheese (optional)

For the anchovy-garlic oil

– 2 tinned/jarred anchovies, finely chopped – 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

– 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (from about 2 sprigs), oregano or rosemary

– 6 tbsp olive oil or butter

Sit the sliced onion in a little bowl with the vinegar and a pinch of sea salt, stir to coat and set aside while you get on with everything else. This will mellow the onion strength a little.

In a small frying pan, gently fry the chopped anchovies, garlic, thyme or other herb and olive oil or butter for about five minutes, to warm through and for the garlic to soften.

Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes and peaches on a serving platter and sprinkle over a little sea salt and pepper.

Scatter the onion and vinegar over the platter, then the chilli flakes and cheese, if using, then spoon over the anchovy oil.