Peaches

[Varmint]

OK, I'm up to my eyeballs in peaches. Peaches are my favorite fruit, but I think I'm growing tired of cobbler, buckle, pie, shortcake and eating them in hand.

Any ideas for other uses of peaches, preferably in the non-dessert arenas?

[jaybee]

Peaches and cream are my dream.

I would think peaches work well with hot pepper flakes and some lean savories, such as pulled pork, crisp bacon and a sauce made with sauternes. Just thought of that in the heat of the afternoon. Maybe a hallucination.

[Schielke]

Send me some!!!!

Actually, peaches go very well with bleu cheese on a cheese plate. A nice cheese and some sliced peaches...mmmmmmm.

Ben

[Brad S]

you can make peach gastrique and freeze it for later use,of course chutneys

[NewYorkTexan]

No specific recipes, but peaches and pork loin sounds like a good combination.

I could not get Pork and peaches off my mind so I found a few recipes:

Bon Appétit recipe

one from gourmet

Mark Miller has a dessert of baked peaches with Cinnamon and Vanilla Natillas (a meringue cookie)

He bakes halved and pitted peaches with cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar for 8 minutes at 325. He serves the peaches over a bed of vanilla crème anglaise with the natilla placed on top of the peaches. There is a simplicity to this dessert that I love.

[Suvir Saran]

Sliced peached atop of some nice bread, topped with mascarpone and honey and finished with freshly ground black pepper and then toasted till the bread is crunchy.

This is served at Ino's on Bedford street. It is amazing.

[Suvir Saran]

Peaches and cream are my dream.

No that is my dream!

[Varmint]

you can make peach gastrique and freeze it for later use,of course chutneys

What would you do with the gastrique, and what would you use for the acid?

[Terrie]

The Italians do an absolutely delicious dessert where they make a little stuffing for the halved peaches, with crumbled amaretti and amaretto mashed together and mounded on the peach, then baked with a little wine poured around. I think this is my favorite peach dessert of all time.

Grilled peach halves are good accompaniments for grilled meats, especially pork. Glaze them in a little of the sauce you use on the meat.

Make a salsa featuring peaches – serve with grilled chicken, fish or pork, especially one with a spicy crust.

[foodie52]

Slice them, dip the slices in Fruit Fresh and freeze them in baggies for this winter

[NewYorkTexan]

What is fruit fresh?

[polly]

The Italians do an absolutely delicious dessert where they make a little stuffing for the halved peaches, with crumbled amaretti and amaretto mashed together and mounded on the peach, then baked with a little wine poured around.

YES YES YES!

Or, how about pickled peaches?

Peach butter or jam?

If you've still got some left after everyones nice suggestions, give them to a place that makes food for homeless people.

[Jaymes]

What is fruit fresh?

Coincidence? Or a some sort of mad peach power at work....

Yesterday I drove over to Fredricksburg, the home of Texas Hill Country peaches, and bought a bushel, then stopped by the grocery store and bought some freezer bags and Fruit Fresh in order to do just what F52 suggests....peel and slice my peaches, sprinkle them with Fruit Fresh and freeze them for use sometime in the winter.

Fruit Fresh is a powdery product that comes in a small can usually displayed in grocery stores right by the canning jars, etc. You sprinkle it on cut fruits and vegetables to retain their color, taste and freshness.

I confess I've used it for years, but have never bothered to look on the label to see what's in it. Just did... dextrose, ascorbic acid for preservatives and a little silicon to keep it all "free flowing." (Sounds like something I could use for myself )

[KarenS]

Peach salsa is very good. Peaches with grilled or sauteed duck. Peaches grilled and served with foie gras. Chilled peach soup with vin santo, mascarpone mousse and amaretti. Peach chutney with grilled pork chops. Semolina crepes with creme fraiche ice cream and peaches. Peach sherbet with raspberry zinnfandel granita and almond madeleines... I could keep going!

[Jon Tseng]

you could make a very large bellini...

j

[polly]

you could make a very large bellini...

j

[Ron Johnson]

Grill some peach halves. Carmelize some onions. Puree these with some garlic and as much habanero as you dare and some lemon juice. Add a touch of ancho powder and some smoked paprika.

Use this sauce on any grilled pork or chicken product. Also good on as sauce for grilled salmon.

If you make ribs, you can baste them with this at the very end of the cooking right before service.

[SobaAddict70]

Peach ice cream.

Sunday night dinner at Babbo: saffron-infused panna cotta, topped with diced peaches and accompanied with peach sorbetto and basil syrup.

Peach and cantaloupe soup. It's a cold soup that's perfect for dessert or as a first course. Will post the recipe later (I'm at work right now).

SA

[Rail Paul]

Grill some peach halves.  Carmelize some onions.  Puree these with some garlic and as much habanero as you dare and some lemon juice.  Add a touch of ancho powder and some smoked paprika.

Use this sauce on any grilled pork or chicken product.  Also good on as sauce for grilled salmon.

If you make ribs, you can baste them with this at the very end of the cooking right before service.

Excellent suggestion. I'll have to play with the ancho / habanero angle.

Last night I grilled fresh peach quarters with boneless breast of chicken. Sliced the grilled food, tossed with fresh spinach and basil, and served.

Grilled peaches and grilled sausage links are also delightful

I once tried sliding thin slices of peach under the skin of chicken breasts, but that was more trouble than it was worth. Tasted fine, though

No mess in the kitchen, that's a plus.

[GordonCooks]

I made a Peach / Southern Comfort BBQ sauce once with some habaneros - the heat was a little much - Chipoltes would have worked better. We slapped it on pulled pork burritos

[Jim Dixon]

La Catalana, a late, lamented Spanish restaurant here, combined duck confit with peaches. The meat was pulled off the leg, seared until slithly crispy, then the peaches (halves or sections) were quickly caramalized in the duck fat.

Jim

[Jason Perlow]

Saute thin slices of peach with jumbo shrimp (or sliced chicken) in a wok, with a little bit of soy sauce, red chinese chiles and some garlic and snow peas. Sprinkle a little bit of cilantro, mint and some fish sauce. Serve with rice or over rice noodles. This also works with mango.

[cakewalk]

Peach and cantaloupe soup.  It's a cold soup that's perfect for dessert or as a first course.  Will post the recipe later (I'm at work right now).

Waiting, waiting for this recipe. It sounds so good, I'm already anticipating it as breakfast for the rest of the summer! Please don't forget. Ta.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Peaches in red wine are classic: cover peeled peach slices with red wine, sprinkle lightly brown sugar; let sit for an hour before serving. (We sometimes use this as a vegetable in summer.)

I love a lot of the interesting concepts already posted in this thread. Many thanks for such creative ideas.

[Brad S]

you can make peach gastrique and freeze it for later use,of course chutneys

What would you do with the gastrique, and what would you use for the acid?

Varmit.

I use a white Verjus & a bit of cider vinegar for the acid and a barsac (or the like) for body.

I normally serve this with duck