There is nothing that tastes like summer to me like a slice of fresh, juicy, perfectly ripened peach.
Every summer, on our way from Nashville to North Florida, my family would stop at Peach Park in Clanton, AL to stretch our legs, grab a bite, and load up on fresh produce— especially peaches. By the time we could see the bay out the window, baskets of peaches would have perfumed our minivan with their heavenly fragrance, and my face, hands, and shirt would be sticky from peaches snuck along the way.
These days summer also means balmy Saturday mornings at the farmers market, where I buy the most amazing fresh, local goat cheese. So before peach season got swept away for another year, I couldn’t resist pairing the two in a delicious summer sandwich, accented with lacy-thin strips of Serrano ham and butter-crisped bread.
Salty Serrano ham is a wonderful foil for the sweet peaches, and the crunch of the seared bread contrasts delightfully with the creamy chevre.
Peach and Goat Cheese Sandwich
1 tbsp salted butter, preferably Kerrygold or homemade
2 slices sandwich bread (my favorite is Alpine Valley Organic 12 Grain with Omega-3)
2 tbsp of the freshest goat cheese (chevre) you can get your hands on, room temperature (if you happen to live near Flower Mound, TX, you can’t beat the chevre from Latte Da Dairy)
1-2 slices Serrano ham (prosciutto is a good substitute if needed)
1 ripe yellow peach, preferably organic, very thinly sliced
Melt butter in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place bread, one slice stacked on top of the other, in the pan, and coax it around just a bit with a spatula to make sure the bottom slice is evenly coated with melted butter (stacking the slices helps weigh down the bread just enough to get optimal contact with the hot pan). When the bottom slice is golden and crisped (about 2 minutes), flip the stack over and repeat for second slice.
Transfer bread to a plate and spread 1 T goat cheese on the un-crisped side of each slice. Top one slice with ham and a layer of peaches and gently press the remaining slice on top. Slice diagonally and serve with remaining peaches slices.
Morgan Crumm is a mother, blogger, recipe-developer, and real-food advocate based in Dallas, TX. More of her work can be found at BeingTheSecretIngredient.com, a blog about food, life, and love.
