It's a sure sign that summer has hit her stride: blushing, juicy, succulent peaches.
Peaches, native to China, have been thriving in Arkansas since the trees were introduced after the Civil War. And few things are better on a hot summer day than a perfectly ripe Arkansas peach.
Most peaches available at the grocery store and farmers markets are of the freestone variety, meaning the flesh releases easily from the pit. Clingstone peaches are usually used in commercial preparations.
When selecting fresh peaches, follow your nose. It won't taste like a peach unless it smells like a peach. Most peaches available at the grocery store are usually still a bit firm. To get them ready to eat, let them sit at room temperature for a few days. You can speed up the process slightly by placing them in a paper bag and loosely folding the top.
Perfectly ripe peaches are yielding to the touch -- softer than a tennis ball, but not squishy -- and have a heady, peachy aroma. However, any peach picked before it is mature will never sweeten and ripen. To slow the ripening process, or hold ready-to-eat fruit for day or so, refrigerate the fruit. While skin color is not necessarily an indication of ripeness -- only the side of the peach receiving sunlight develops a red blush -- avoid peaches that have a green tinge. Also avoid peaches that are very hard, like a baseball, as these peaches were likely picked before they matured.
Nectarines and peaches can be used interchangeably. Nectarines are essentially hairless peaches, the result of a recessive gene.
Peaches are well suited for sweet and savory preparations; however, a peach's flavor changes considerably the longer it is cooked.
Blueberries, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, pistachios, almonds, raspberries, citrus fruits, chile peppers, ginger and honey are particularly compatible partners for peaches.
This chicken salad makes a great sandwich filling or stuffing for ripe tomatoes.
Chicken Salad With Peaches and Walnuts
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper
2 ripe peaches, rinsed but not peeled
2 cups diced roasted chicken
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup walnut halves and pieces, toasted (see note)
4 to 6 cups baby greens or chopped lettuce
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Pit and dice the peaches.
In a mixing bowl, combine the diced peaches with chicken, green onion, parsley, mint and walnuts. Fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve chicken mixture on salad greens or use as a stuffing for ripe tomatoes.
Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Note: Toast nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning or spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 350-degree oven until fragrant and lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Fruitful: Four Seasons of Fresh Fruit Recipes by Brian Nicholson and Sarah Huck
Baked Brie With Jezebel Peaches
1 tablespoon hot pepper jelly
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 large or 2 small ripe peaches, peeled and diced
1 (8-ounce) round brie, packed in a box (preferably wooden)
Assorted crackers, for serving
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, whisk together the pepper jelly, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the diced peaches and stir to coat.
Unwrap the brie; trim and discard rind from top. Return cheese to wooden box bottom and place box on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Spoon peach mixture over brie, mounding slightly. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Carefully transfer box to a platter and serve immediately with crackers.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living, June 2014
Roasted Peach and Vanilla Butter
21/4 pounds ripe, but firm peaches, washed and dried
1/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (see note) OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Quarter the peaches, discarding the stems and pits. Arrange peach quarters, skin side up, in a large baking dish. Roast 45 minutes or until skins are shriveled and flesh is softened.
Transfer roasted peaches to a food processor and pulse to puree.
Add brown sugar (if the peaches are very sweet you may not want to use all of the sugar) and vanilla. Return mixture to the baking dish and bake 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mixture is burnt orange in color and very thick.
Use immediately or transfer hot mixture to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Makes about 11/2 cups.
Note: To remove the seeds from the vanilla bean, use a sharp knife to split the bean lengthwise. Using the knife, scrape the seeds from the bean. The scraped bean can be used to flavor sugar for homemade vanilla sugar.
Recipe adapted from The Gentle Art of Preserving by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi (July, Kyle Books)
Peach Kuchen
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 to 8 ripe, but firm peaches
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
Ice cream, for serving
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder and mix well. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Peel the peaches. Cut each peach in half and remove the pits. Arrange peaches cut side down over crust. Combine the remaining sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over peaches. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
Whisk together the heavy cream and egg yolks. Pour over peaches. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes more. Cool. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Recipe adapted from Best of the Best from Arkansas Cookbook
Peach Pound Cake
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 (3-ounce) box peach-flavored instant gelatin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
31/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 medium, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan or 3 (8-by-4-inch) loaf pans with nonstick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the gelatin and vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, to the creamed mixture. Stir in the peaches. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.
Makes 1 Bundt cake or 4 smaller loaves.
Recipe adapted from The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook by Alexe van Bueren
Honey is not only the sweetener in this ice cream, but also one of its dominant flavors. A strong-flavored honey like buckwheat or wildflower will overpower the peaches, a milder honey such as clover or orange blossom is recommended.
Honey-Peach Ice Cream
1 quart half-and-half
3/4 cup honey
1 heaping cup pureed peaches
1 teaspoon lemon juice OR fruity vinegar
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Transfer mixture to an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer to an air-tight container and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.
Makes about 11/2 quarts.
Peach, Corn and Pistachio Salad
5 ounces baby spinach
1 small head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup frozen or canned corn, thawed or rinsed
2 small ripe peaches, pitted and diced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup roasted pistachios
1/2 cup bottled Italian vinaigrette
3 tablespoons hot red pepper jelly OR sweet chile sauce such as Maggi, or to taste
In a bowl, combine the spinach and romaine. Top with the corn, peaches, onion, feta and pistachios.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette and pepper jelly. Drizzle over salad. Toss gently to combine.
Makes 4 servings.
Food on 07/23/2014