Monday Lunch Vibes: White Peach and Tomato Salad With Szechuan Chilli Oil

Feel the burn

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When it comes to Szechuan cooking, people tend to fall into two categories. Anthony Bourdain or Eric Ripert.

On the legendary Parts Unknown series, spice-fiend Bourdain takes French chef Ripert to the Szechuan province of China where the food is so spicy, Ripert comments:

“You know, I feel like my face is changing. My eyes are in a different position.”

I’m with Bourdain — a true lover of spice. Szechuan cooking, with all its fiery chilli and numbing Szechuan peppercorns rules.

There are few things I miss more when I lived on the road than being able to make a batch of Szechuan chilli oil. I once tried to transport some in my backpack to predictably disastrous results.

So when I moved to Portugal earlier this month, making a jar of the stuff was one of the first things on my list.

First, I diligently dipped some homemade dumplings in the spicy, mouth-numbing pot of deliciousness. The dumpling recipe landed on The Capsule Pantry a few months back.

Then I got creative with the leftovers this weekend and made a peach, tomato and Szechuan chilli oil salad.

Peaches in Portugal tend to be of the white variety which is perfect for this salad thanks to their tendency to be slightly underripe. Add in late-Summer cherry tomatoes, that numbing chilli oil, and some quesco fresco, and you my friend have a plate worthy of the most annoying word in culinary writing:

Fusion.

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The salad

• 2 white peaches, thinly sliced.

• A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2-3 tsp homemade Szechuan chilli oil (recipe below)

• Queso fresco or another fresh cheese (ricotta and feta would both work well)

• Coriander (optional)

• Sea salt for seasoning

The chilli oil

The chilli oil is easy to make so long as you have access to Szechuan peppercorns. If you sterilize your jar and keep it in the fridge, it should keep for at least a month. The longer you leave it, the spicier it gets.

• 1.5 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns lightly crushed

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 small nubbin ginger, finely chopped

• 1 scallion or 1/3 small white onion, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp dried chilli flakes

• 1 tsp sugar

• 0.5 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup vegetable / sunflower / other neutral oil

Make the chilli oil

Put all the chilli oil ingredients apart from the oil into a heatproof bowl.

Heat the oil on the hob until it shimmers.

CAREFULLY pour the hot oil over the ingredients. It’ll sizzle and might spit a bit. This is also the time you’ll find out if that heatproof bowl really is heatproof.

Leave to cool, put it in a sterilized jar and store in the fridge.

Make the salad

Season the peaches and tomatoes and arrange on a platter.

Scatter the queso fresco and coriander.

Flick some Szechuan chilli oil over the plate — as much or as little as you like.

Make the salad vegan by omitting the cheese.

Add thin slices of red onion if you have them to hand.

Omit the coriander if you’ve got that gene that makes it taste like soap.

Use other soft herbs like mint or parsley.

Swap the peaches for nectarines or melon.

Serve with flatbreads or sourdough.

Sick spicy Spanish-style skewers on the side.

Pile the salad onto labneh (strained yogurt) for extra dipping power.