A guide to seasonal fruit in your savory cooking + a peach antipasto summer salad

Because fruit this good? It belongs in every damn meal.

The streets in Berlin were quiet as I biked to the farmers market this Saturday, save for a few early risers—and the last stragglers still clinging to the 24-hour bar on my street. (A rush of smugness hits me as I pass them: I am chirpy and fresh this morning. You, on the other hand, are still out drinking.)

I was especially excited because it’s July—and the market is bursting with peak-season fruit, veg, and berries. I walk past stalls of juicy peaches, bright red strawberries, and punnets of currants that make my eyes water. We only get a few months of fruit this good in Europe, and I’m on a mission to make the most of it.

I picked up half a kilo of French apricots (I overheard the vendor tell another woman they’re particularly good right now) and immediately took a bite. I was hopeful but cautious—too many times I’ve been let down by mushy or tasteless apricots. But this one? Magic. As I swallowed the first bite, my eyes went wide. Sweet and sour in perfect balance. A juicy mouthful that transported me to a French orchard where the air smells like sunshine.

I immediately FaceTimed Seema to tell her.

My market haul

To me, the entire point of summer (besides swimming) is to eat as much in-season fruit as possible. I have it for breakfast and on its own, sure, but also in everything else.

In this week’s newsletter: how to use summer fruit in your savory cooking.

Because fruit this good? It belongs in every damn meal.

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The Weekly Zhuzh ✨

An introduction to fruit in savory dishes

Besides making the most of summer, I use fruits in my cooking to add contrast, both in flavour and texture. The sweet and sour balance of them will add pazzazz to anything from salads, to sauces, and grilled meat.

In Salads

Adding fruit to a salad can take it from boring to brilliant with almost no effort. You don’t need a fancy dressing—ripe fruit brings its own sweetness, acidity, and juiciness that ties everything together.

Here are some combos I love:

• Peach + Tomato + Chickpeas + Feta + Herbs
  Peaches and tomatoes are an underrated power couple. Try them with roasted chickpeas, quinoa, and a handful of mint or basil. Here’s a recipe I did last summer → Link to Instagram

• Strawberries + Raddicio + Balsamic + Goat Cheese
  Toss in some toasted nuts or seeds for crunch. Add lentils if you want to bulk it up.

• Plums + Arugula + Burrata + Pistachios
  A little drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt is all you need. Optional: add grilled chicken or tofu.

• Cherries + Shaved Fennel + Lemon Vinaigrette
  Bright and crunchy. Especially good with smoked fish or cold poached salmon.

Juicy tomatoes, peaches, crispy chickpeas, salty feta, quinoa and mint

In Salsas, Sauces & Dressings

If you’re bored of your usual sauce or dressing rotation, fruit is the easiest way to shake things up. It adds sweetness, acidity, and brightness—perfect for cutting through richness or balancing heat.

Here are a few favourites:

• Chopped Plum + Shallot Dressing
  Finely dice ripe plums and mix with minced shallot, habanero, lemon juice, and olive oil. It’s punchy, sweet-spicy, and perfect over roasted carrots with yogurt. (Here’s the recipe → link to my Instagram

• Strawberry or Peach Salsa
  Dice your fruit and mix with onion, lime, chili, and coriander. Great on tacos, grilled fish, or anything vaguely smoky.

• Lingonberries (or Cranberries or Currants) in Creamy Sauces
  Stir a spoonful into heavy cream, mustard, and broth for a tangy sauce that’s amazing with meatballs, roast veg, or mushrooms. Think Swedish, but apply freely.

• Roasted Grapes with Vinegar & Olive Oil
  Roast grapes in the oven or in a pan until they collapse. Toss in some finely minced red onion. Use as a warm spoonable dressing for grilled poultry, roasted squash, or halloumi.

Blistered carrots on some yogurt and millet, with a chopped plum & habanero dressing, topped with toasted pistachios

With meat and fish

Fruit and meat are a natural pair. The fruit adds brightness, cuts through richness, and brings juiciness—especially helpful with lean cuts that tend to dry out.

Here are a few combos worth trying:

• Grilled Peaches + Pork Chops
  Halve and grill peaches alongside your pork. Serve with flaky sea salt, maybe a few thyme leaves, and call it a day.

• Pan-Seared Cherries + Fish
  After searing fish, toss a handful of halved cherries into the same pan. Let them soften slightly (adding a tablespoon of vinegar or water will speed this up), then spoon over the fish with the buttery pan juices.

• Plum or Rhubarb Chutney + Duck (or Chicken or Tofu)
  Make a quick chutney with chopped fruit, vinegar, sugar, and spices. Serve it warm with anything roasted or grilled.

I hope you are inspired to use more in-season fruit in your savoury cooking. To finish, here’s a brand new recipe for you:

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The Nudge 🍽️

A Peach Antipasto Salad

This is the kind of salad you want on a hot summer evening. Fresh, salty, juicy. It works as a full meal or as a hearty side to whatever else you're serving.

The summer salad of my dreams

For one portion (as a full meal), you’ll need:

• A handful of colorful tomatoes (any kind works, but a mix looks pretty)

• 1 ripe peach

• 5–10 slices of salami or other cured ham (see note for meatless options)

• 1 ball of mozzarella

• A piece of bread (stale is fine)

• A handful of fresh basil (I’m using red basil, but regular is perfect)

• Sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt, pepper, and chili flakes

Do this:

1. Prep the bread
   Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toast until golden and crispy—either in the oven, air fryer, or in a pan. Season with salt and set aside.

2. Cut the fruit & tomatoes
   Slice the tomatoes and peach into irregular chunks.

3. Assemble the salad

   Scatter the tomatoes and peach across a large plate. Tear the mozzarella and salami into pieces and add on top. Finish with basil leaves.

4. Dress and season

   Drizzle with olive oil and a small splash of vinegar. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste.

Note to make it meatless:

• Swap the salami for anchovies if you're okay with fish

• Or skip the meat entirely and use seared halloumi instead of mozzarella (the saltiness helps replace what the ham would bring—but mozzarella + halloumi might be a bit much)

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That’s all for this week! Leave a comment to let me know what you think.

/Seb