To cut nectarines for salad, insert your knife into the stem end, pressing down until the blade meets the pit. Then continue cutting all the way around the fruit, eventually ending up back where you started. Grab the nectarine with both hands, then gently twist until one half releases from the pit. Remove the pit, then slice the fruit. If your nectarines clings to their pit, make another cut all the way around the fruit (sectioning it into quarters). Then insert the tip of your knife (a small paring knife is ideal for this) into one of the sections and carefully carve around the pit, releasing the fruit. Repeat with the other three sections, then slice.