One of my favorite summertime recipes is one that Elaine Trigiani taught me years ago, made with fresh peaches, tomatoes, fresh basil, feta cheese, and great olive oil. The first time I made it was pure bliss. So fresh, so light, you could taste every single ingredient. The second time I made it, it was not so impressive. I looked back at the difference between the two salads, and it all came down to my peaches. They were firm, maybe a bit too firm, and not very juicy. The tomatoes were hot house tomatoes and had not the slightest hint of what a summer tomato should taste like. Great peaches make great dishes, and they are easy to spot. Look for large, fuzzy-skinned peaches that are firm but give in easily to the touch. Even before that, you can pick up a peach and smell it. If it smells like a peach, it is likely to be or become a great peach, even if it is not fully ripe. If it smells like air, do not buy it. This is the time of year when peaches should be rolling in up and down Highway 49 at dozens of produce stands. Donna’s #6 is one of my favorite spots, always brimming with all varieties of fresh produce and bushels of peaches. Peaches are sweet perfection for a fleeting few weeks of summer. Admittedly, it can be a pain to peel two pounds of peaches when you’re hot and lazy, but what a payoff to be drowning in all those sweet juices and heady, peachy aroma. Enjoy these recipes; my new favorite is the lemon and peach freeze. I had forgotten what a great marriage lemon and peach make, and they bring out the very best in each other. Happy Summer, y’all!
GRILLED AND CHILLED TENDERLOIN WITH GRILLED PEACH SALSA AND HORSERADISH SAUCE
FOR SALSA:
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 2 limes
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon fresh horseradish, or to taste
⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, toss together jalapeño, garlic, lime juice and zest, cumin, horseradish, and fresh cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
FOR VEGETABLES AND TENDERLOIN:
3 large peaches, halved and pitted
3 medium tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (10-ounce) filets, patted dry
1 tablespoon olive oil
In a bowl, toss peaches, tomatoes and onion slices with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Set aside. Drizzle olive oil over filets and sprinkle each generously
on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Allow meat to come to room temperature. Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place peaches, tomatoes, and red onion on grill grate and cook, turning occasionally, until all pieces are juicy and have charred grill lines, about 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Using same grill or grill pan, add filets and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare temperature. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, remove salsa from refrigerator and chop peaches, tomatoes, and red onion and add to jalapeño mixture. Toss well and check seasonings. Cover and return to refrigerator. Cover steaks tightly with foil and refrigerate.
FOR HORSERADISH SAUCE:
½ cup sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh horseradish
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper In a small bowl, mix all together. Check seasoning and cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, slice filets thin and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon peach salsa on top of sliced meat and place horseradish sauce in a bowl in center of platter. Serve with grilled bread if desired
Yield: 10-12 appetizer pieces.
PEACH AND PISTACHIO SALAD
½ red onion
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
5 ounces baby arugula
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
2 pounds fresh peaches, peeled and pitted
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup toasted pistachios
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cut red onion in half lengthwise and thinly slice into half-moons; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, and ó teaspoon salt. Add onions and toss to combine. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, on a platter or salad plates, arrange arugula, parsley, and mint. Top with sliced peaches, feta, pickled onion (reserving vinegar for dressing), pistachios, and additional parsley and mint, if desired. Whisk olive oil into reserved white balsamic vinegar along with mustard and honey. Check seasoning of dressing, adding additional salt and pepper if needed. Drizzle dressing over all and serve.
Yield: 8 servings
PEACH AND PROSCIUTTO CANAPES WITH AGED BALSAMIC VINEGAR
4 ripe but firm peaches
10 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
24 fresh basil leaves
8 ounces mozzarella pearls
Pink sea salt
Freshly ground peppercorns
Aged balsamic vinegar
Toothpicks
Peel each peach and cut in half. Remove pit and slice each half into 3 pieces. Wrap each slice with a bite-size piece of prosciutto and a basil leaf. Using a toothpick, skewer basil-prosciutto wrapped peach slice and top with a mozzarella pearl. Sprinkle with pink sea salt and cracked pepper. When ready to serve, drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar.
Yield: 24 canapes
PEACH AND RASPBERRY CRISP
This is a rendition of an old Barefoot Contessa recipe and is best served warm with sweetened whipped cream.
9 to 10 firm, ripe peaches
Zest of 1 orange
1¼ cups sugar, divided
1 cup light brown sugar, packed, divided
1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
½ pint raspberries
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
½ pound cold unsalted butter, diced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter inside of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Immerse peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place into a large bowl. Add orange zest, ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons flour. Toss well. Gently mix in raspberries. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot liquid, add 1 additional tablespoon flour. Pour peaches into baking dish and gently smooth top. In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1½ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and cold, diced butter. Mix on low speed until butter is pea-size and mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly on top of peaches and raspberries. Bake for 1 hour until top is browned and crisp and juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.
Yield: 10 servings
FROZEN PEACHES AND LEMON CREAM
2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and quartered
1 cup sugar
1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
Fresh mint
In a medium bowl, mash peaches, including any accumulated juices, with a potato masher. Stir in sugar and frozen lemonade. In a separate bowl, whip cream and vanilla powder until stiff peaks form. Add to peach mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan and freeze until firm, about 8 hours. When ready to serve, scoop servings with an ice cream scoop into bowls or parfait glasses and garnish with fresh mint.
Yield: 12 servings
PEACH COBBLER MUFFINS
FOR MUFFINS:
1¼ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup sugar
2 cups chopped fresh peaches
½ cup milk
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
FOR STREUSEL TOPPING:
¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cups. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar and whisk together to combine. Add chopped peaches and stir well. Add milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Stir well to make a thick batter. Pour mixture evenly into muffin cups, about . full. Do not overfill. For Streusel Topping, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder in a small bowl. Whisk together to combine. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Top muffins with a spoonful of topping. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and when a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve muffins warm with softened butter blended with peach preserves.
Yield: 12 muffins
