July 2005
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Summer Vegetables
by Celia Cheng
PESCHE
fresh peaches, mâche, cripsy guanciale, ricotta salata, in a vanilla-white balsamic vinaigrette
This summer peach salad embodies the essence of the restaurant Il Buco for me. It is simple, understated, elegant, eclectic and delicious. Mâche is one of my favorite greens because, while flavorful, it has a light mouth feel, and the vanilla-white balsamic vinaigrette adds a dash of honeyed tartness to it. The peach slices are juicy and sweet, balanced by the perfectly crisp, savory guanciale (meat from the pig’s cheek). The ricotta salata — a dried, salted ricotta cheese — has an interesting texture that crumbles in your mouth and tastes like an Italian dried feta cheese. The thinly sliced onions add just the right amount of kick to the dish. While the ingredients are extraordinarily diverse, the outcome of the composition fits so naturally together it’s enticing in a very comfortable and welcoming way.
