Salmon with grilled peach salsa recipe

When ingredients are all at their best — hello, summer! — there’s no need for fancy techniques or a whole lot of work to make a really wonderful meal.

Case in point: throw a couple of halved peaches on the grill just until they get a hint of that nice char flavor, chop them and toss with lime juice, a little minced onion, chili, and cilantro, and you’ve got robust sweet, spicy, smoky and tart flavor — in less than 10 minutes.

Today, I’m pairing my salsa with simple seared salmon. (I could have grilled the fish, too, but I just love the golden crust I get from searing.) I have to confess this recipe makes more than enough salsa for just the salmon — but I want some for tomorrow, anyway. (I see a shrimp taco in my future. Nah, maybe I’ll just serve it with corn chips and margaritas.)

The rest of tonight’s dinner is equally as simple: to make blistered green beans, heat a skillet with about 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the beans and when they just begin to blacken, cover the pan and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until they are crisp-tender. That little bit of blackening intensifies the flavor and brings out the inherent sugars.

Corn on the cob is practically a necessity at this time of year. Be sure you don’t overcook your corn — it needs only about 3 to 5 minutes in boiling water. (Cook it too long and the corn gets tough.) I like to stir a little chopped basil into melted butter, then roll the cobs in the butter before serving. Cutting the cobs in thirds before I cook them makes it easier to coat them in the basil butter.

You see this? I’ve made my ingredients do all the work. Too bad they won’t also wash the dishes.

GRILLED PEACH SALSA

4 peaches, about 1 1/2 pounds, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/3 cup finely diced white onion

1 serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat the grill to medium (350 to 450 degrees).

2. Toss the peaches with the oil and ginger. Place them cut side down on the grill (with the lid closed) and cook about 4 minutes, until they are well-marked on the underside. Turn and grill another 3 minutes. Remove from the grill.

3.When the peaches are cool enough to handle, cut them in a 1/4-inch dice and toss with the onion, serrano, cilantro, lime juice and salt.

SEARED SALMON

4 (6-ounce) pieces salmon fillet

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high; add the salmon (flesh side down) and cook until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook another 4-5 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Serve with the salsa.