Chef Suzanne Goin's Summer Fruit Salad with Peaches and Marcona Almonds

Photo by Shimon Tammar from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons finely diced shallot

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

12 fresh figs, stems removed and cut in half

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ripe nectarine

1 ripe peach

2 ripe plums

1/2 basket (about 1 cup) blackberries or Persian mulberries

8 ounces arugula, cleaned and dried

1/2 lemon, for juicing

2/3 cup Marcona almonds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

ASSEMBLE

Combine the shallot, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, and let sit 5 minutes.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound three fig halves to a coarse purée.

Transfer the fig purée to the shallot mixture, and whisk in the olive oil.

Taste for balance and seasoning.

Cut the nectarine, peach, and plums in half and remove the pits, and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Place the sliced fruit, remaining figs, and berries in a large bowl.

Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the fruit, and season with salt and pepper.

Gently toss in the arugula, sprinkle in some more salt and pepper, and taste for seasoning, adding more vinaigrette and a squeeze of lemon if needed.

Arrange on a large chilled platter, and sprinkle the nuts on top.

This recipe is excerpted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin. Copyright@2005 by Suzanne Goin. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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