Lunch: Nectarine and Blue Cheese Salad with Plum Vinaigrette

Recipe by Susan Spungen Fruit, cheese, and nuts are a winning combination. This bright vinaigrette is also excellent on a salad with apricots, goat cheese, and pistachios.

Ingredients

2 black plums, halved, pitted, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons ume plum vinegar or red wine vinegar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
12 cups (lightly packed) mixed greens (such as arugula and frisée)
4 nectarines or peaches, halved, pitted, cut into eighths
8 ounces firm blue cheese, such as Cabrales, sliced
1/2 cup almonds, preferably Marcona
Ingredient info: Ume plum vinegar (also called umeboshi vinegar) can be found at Asian markets, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets. Marcona almonds are available at natural foods and specialty foods stores.

Instructions

Bring plums and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally and mashing plums with the back of a spoon, until plums have completely broken down, about 15 minutes.
Pour plum mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much purée as possible; discard solids in sieve. Let purée cool.
Add oil, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water to purée; whisk to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
Divide greens among plates. Scatter nectarines, cheese, and almonds over, dividing equally, and drizzle some of dressing over. Season with salt and pepper.

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