This salad was inspired by all those grilled peach salads I’ve envied on Pinterest and Instagram lately. I finally tried one at Row 34 in Boston, and it was every bit as good as I imagined. Thick slices of firm-ripe peaches, char-grilled, served over arugula with some other tasty stuff mixed in. As I finished it off, I vowed to recreate it as soon as I got home.

But once I got home, I realized I’d be insane to go buy so much as a single peach right now, even though I love them. It’s the height of our fruit season, and mangos are just the beginning. The pineapples and sapodillas are ripe, too, and a friend just dropped off a few dozen wax apples.  My kitchen looks like a roadside fruit stand. I can’t bring home peaches.  It occurred to me that mangos might be a good substitute for peaches in any given recipe, as long as you choose the right mango.Not all mangos work on the grill.  Some varieties, like the so-called “dessert” varieties Glenn and Nam Doc Mai, are too delicate. Their custard-like flesh will melt away on hot grill grates. Look for a large variety with some structure to the flesh, like Valencia Pride or Keitt.  I suspect my friend Lynn’s mega Lancetilla mangos would be ideal.No matter what type you use, you want them firm-ripe. If you can imprint your thumb in the side, it’s probably too ripe for this. It will get ugly. Trust me.Once you’ve got the right mango for the job, the grilling part is easy, and the rest of the salad is even easier. The creamy tahini-lime dressing is super simple. I like to quick-pickle the red onions, but if you like raw onions, you can go that route instead.Last but not least, some marcona almonds and feta cheese, because the extra tidbits of flavor and texture balance it out.  It’s a perfect summer salad in Mangoland.