As summer winds down, Labor Day brings one more chance to gather, linger over a meal, and enjoy the season’s harvest at its peak. Rather than focusing on elaborate recipes, choose dishes that showcase ingredients’ natural flavors. Tomatoes, corn, and watermelon are especially flavorful this time of year. You might choose slow-smoked and shredded meats like brisket to anchor your meal, but a colorful tomato and peach salad (see recipe) will bring brightness and abundance to your table.

Simple but Flavorful

Years of professional and home cooking have taught Daniel Gallo, chef and owner of Thyme & Plate, that the key to good food is simplicity. When tomatoes are sweet, peaches are ripe, and herbs are fresh, a dish does not need much to shine. He believes the best meals begin with great ingredients and a light touch. Find what is fresh, figure out how to highlight it, and then get out of the way. Salads add just enough acidity, crunch, sweetness, and color to bring everything together.

Gallo’s tomato and peach salad is flexible by design. The chef prefers heirloom cherry tomatoes for their firmness, but large heirlooms work, too. While peaches are the star here, nectarines, plums, or even melon can work beautifully. With burrata, herbs, pickled red onion, honey, lemon, and olive oil, the salad can be served as a light main course or alongside a Labor Day meal. And don’t forget to add some crusty bread to soak up all the delicious juices.

Thyme & Plate is a boutique catering company and sandwich shop located at the Original Carversville General Store, located at 6208 Fleecy Dale Road in Carversville. For more information, visit thymeandplatecatering.com.

Photograph courtesy of Thyme & Plate

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Tomato and Peach Salad

Makes one large salad, serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 pints local heirloom cherry tomatoes, assorted colors

• 2 ripe peaches, diced

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 2 teaspoons local honey

• 1 cup torn basil, mint, and parsley

• ½ cup red onion, pickled or thinly sliced

• 1 cup baby arugula

• 1 ball burrata

• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

• crusty bread, optional

Directions

Toss the tomatoes and peaches with the kosher salt and half the olive oil. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, honey, herbs, and onion, and gently toss. Transfer the mixture to a platter. Scatter with the arugula, tear the burrata over the salad, and finish with the coarse sea salt and the remaining olive oil. Serve with crusty bread.