My "Secret" Recipe for Peach And Almond Crumble

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The local fruit this year continues to amaze me.  The cantaloupes have been out of this world and, so plentiful, they are selling two for $3 at the local market.  The peaches are the first I taste this year and they are also outstanding; although I have to admit these were from South Carolina and not Georgia. They were sweet and so juicy I had to eat them over the sink.

I was caught empty handed this weekend when I went to make a crumble and there was no oatmeal in the pantry.  Although I don't like the taste of oatmeal on crisps or crumbles, I do like the consistency it gives the topping, so a substitute had to be found.  Enter some sliced almonds AND a packet of Quaker Instant Maple And Brown Sugar Oatmeal  that I keep around for emergencies when my stomach is too sick to handle anything else. 

I have to confess I gave this a lot of thought.  Six luscious ripe peaches were not something you risk on a whim.  When all was said and done, this crumble was outstanding.  So much so, I will make it again exactly as I made it this time.  It will be my secret recipe for peach crumble. Seriously, in order to make it a secret recipe there has to be something unusual in it.  Like a pear in the pumpkin soup, right?  Well here it is a packet of instant oatmeal, but make sure it is the one I used.  I think it was the hint of maple sugar that gave it that "Je ne sais quoi:" taste.  Whatever it was, it was gobbled up in no time...need I say more?

I had planned to share half the recipe with my sick neighbor but when I opened the fridge the next morning, this is what was left.  My daughter and some friends came back after a party late that night and the crumble was history.

..and the moral of the story.  Don't hesitate to experiment in the kitchen.  It might turn out to be your next "secret" recipe."

Do you have a secret recipe? I would love to hear about it!

Peach And Almond Crumble

Serves 8

Ingredients:

5 to 6 peaches (Georgia or South Carolina)

3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour,
pinch of salt
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal*
1 stick unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup sliced almonds

1 cup whipping cream
2 tsps sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a square baking pan.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl together with the juice.  Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

Combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup crushed almonds, the oatmeal, salt and the diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at low speed until the butter is pea size and the mixture is crumbly.

Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches.

Cook at 350 for 1/2 hour.  Take out, sprinkle the rest of the almonds and continue cooking for another 1/2 hour.    Let it rest for 1/2 hour.

Note:

I highly recommend that you skip the ice cream and serve with freshly made whipped cream.  (Add 2 tsps of sugar)

This can be made ahead and reheated at  350 for about 20 minutes.  Cover with foil if the almonds begin to darken

This recipe can be doubled and cooked in a 9x13 Pyrex.

Last Call...Small Batch Canned Peaches In Amaretto Syrup

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Hurry, hurry, hurry to the grocery store, or your nearest fruit and vegetable market, and pick up some of the peaches lying in big crates with signs that say tree ripened.  They are sensational this year.  I keep going back for more, in spite of the fact I swore off more peaches when I finished canning the last batch.  Yes, I have made peach jam but I have mostly canned them in syrup to enjoy this coming winter.  I am not giving them away this time, so don't ask... even if you are Angelina and Brad.

When peaches are this good, it is a crime to bake them in tarts, pies or even ice cream.  Yep, we have had those too.  Had to.  But it's the cold peaches in a light syrup that have blown us away.  Sometimes we have topped them with vanilla ice cream, others crushed pistachios or amaretto cookies.   Come to think of it, I have even forgotten my favorite recipe for Peach Melba!

Canning and preserving have always been perceived as the domain of the experienced cook.  Notice I did not say the great cook or even the good cook.  I said experienced cook, as in your grandmother.  When I see the words, I think of grandmothers and gingham check, wagon trains and apple pie.  If you can or preserve, you have mileage behind you. You are an artiste!  Well, I have news for you, a caveman can do it, if he follows the steps.  It is precise and requires some patience, something most of us don't have.  But it is not difficult and overwhelming  if you do it in small batches, as I recently discovered.

Peach Jam

To can peaches, or any other fruit for that matter, you really don't need a recipe.  It is mainly a procedure with ratios and proportions as it pertains to fruit and syrup.   You don't need to set aside a whole day or even a whole morning.  After you get the hang of it and the why of it, it is not a painful task. You really have no excuse and will be amply rewarded come winter time.  Hey, I have even taken a break from my blog rest to get you going.

My winter stash of canned peaches and peach jams

The recipe below used six large peaches and yielded three one quart jars.  That's more than ample to carry this small family through the winter.  After eating three quarts of anything, it begins to get boring especially if you have already canned three pints of peach jam!  You are not going into the business of canning peaches so don't make that much.

Don't crowd the fruit too much and make sure the syrup covers it to the top, even if you have to slice some of the halves. If you don't have or like amaretto, skip it.  They are just as divine without it. Should you be a generous and caring person, double the recipe, make four cups of syrup and share them with some of those special friends.  By special I mean the ones you know will appreciate and enjoy them..  AND should you have left over syrup, save it, chill it and add some to a cold glass of Champagne or Prosecco.

I never thought I would turn into a canner, but perhaps the South has finally gotten to me.  That or watching Diane Keaton in Baby Boom too many times!

Small Batch Canned Peaches
Makes 3 to 4 jars

Ingredients

6 to 8 peaches
2 cups of syrup
1 tsp. amaretto (optional)

3 or 4 Balls canning glass jars

Procedure

Get a big saucepan pan or pot, 6 to 8 quarts, add water, bring to boil and drop peaches.  Leave for about 30 seconds.  Remove the peaches from the water, (SAVE THAT WATER) and slide them into a pan of iced water.  When peaches cool off, remove from the pan and peel with your hands.  This will take you no time.

On a tall pot, heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

Cut the peaches in half carefully, with a paring knife, and remove the pit.

Measure 4 cups of the water you boiled the peaches in and return it to the pan.  Add 4 cups of sugar.  Bring to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves.

Add the peaches and the pits.

Add 1 tsp of amaretto, if using

Cook the peaches at a low simmer for about 10 minutes.  Check to see if they are done by inserting the tip of the paring knife.  Don't get them too soft. They will continue cooking until they have cooled down in their jars.

Pack hot peaches, using a slotted spoon, cavity side down and overlapping layers, into hot jars to within a generous 1/2 inch of top of jar. Ladle hot syrup into hot jar to cover pears, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot syrup. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process pint jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude. I cover the pot with a loose lid. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
YOU ARE DONE!

Now this might seem like a lot but not if you are only canning this small amount.  It is really just a few quick steps. If you plan to use them within 30 days don't bother.  Just refrigerate.

 
Recipe and Photos Lindaraxa

Peach Tarte Tatin For A Cool Summer Evening

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Nothing could be simpler and more delicious than this peach tarte tatin.  It follows the same steps as its more famous sister, the apple tatin.  Enjoy it while you can.

There are lots of peach recipes on the blog, from peach crumb pie to peach chutney.  Check them out on the Master Recipe Index above.

The Sous Chef and I are going to take a few days off for a much needed rest from blogging.  You know she has issues pending, and so do I.  We will see you back here in the Fall.  Enjoy the rest of the Summer, if you can call it that. It's still raining here this weekend and it's cool.  We have the fireplace going.  It's the middle of August and this is the deep South.

 

Peach Tarte Tatin

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons butter
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 medium (about 3 3/4 pounds) slightly ripe peaches: peel, remove pit and cut in quarters
 Frozen puff pastry crust, thawed

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

 

• Heat the lemon juice, 1 cup sugar  and 6 tablespoons butter in a large iron or oven proof skillet over medium-high heat until the mixture boils.
• Place the peaches in the skillet and cook for 10 minutes. Carefully turn peaches over; cook 8 to 12 minutes longer until syrup is caramelized and thickened. (If peaches are really ripe, reduce cooking time.
• Place pastry on top of peaches, fold dough under to form a rim around edge of peaches. Cut 4 to 6 small slits in dough so steam can escape. Bake for approximately 25 minutes — until crust is golden.
• When tart is done, place large platter over top of tart. Quickly turn skillet upside down on the serving plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream (with a dash of Bourbon).

All photos Lindaraxa

End Of Summer Canning...Apricot Jam

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While I was packing tonight for an unexpected trip, I remembered I had bought peaches to make jam this weekend. They surely weren't going to go to waste!  In less that an hour, the time it took to throw some clothes in the suitcase, this jam was ready and sitting in the counter waiting to cool.  It is almost midnight now and before I turn in I will stick the jars in the refrigerator to be enjoyed later in the year.  That's how easy this recipe is!

I really encourage you to buy some peaches (Georgia or South Carolina are really the best) and apricots this weekend and try this out.  It will probably be the last time you can get them before we start getting ready for the Fall bounty.  You will be so glad you did come winter.

I probably won't be posting again until after Labor Day so keep cool and I will see you in September.

Below you will find the recipe I used including some of David Leibowitz commentary.  The photos are his too, I definitely didn't have time for that!

About six 1 cup (250ml) jars

I should note that I like my jam on the tart side. The amount of sugar shown is based on how much apricot puree I got from this particular batch of apricots. Because fruit doesn’t grow in standardized quantities, my general rule is to use three-quarters of the amount of sugar per one-part apricot puree. So if you use more, or less, apricots, simply use for each cup of puree, by volume, three-quarters cup of sugar. David Leibowitz

Apricots become quite tangy once cooked, so you’ll find this is not very sweet. I don’t recommend using less sugar, since it may not jell correctly. A bit of lemon juice added at the end provides additional balance, and Europeans often crack a few apricot kernels open and add one to each jar before pouring in the jam, which isn’t meant to be eaten, but gives the jam a subtle, bitter almond-like flavor.

Ingredients

2 pounds (1kg) fresh apricots

1/2 cup (125ml) water

6 cups (1kg) sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

optional: 1 tablespoon kirsch

Directions

 1. Cut the apricots in half and extract the pits. If you wish, crack a few open and put a kernel in each jam jar you plan to fill.

2. Place the apricots in a very large stockpot, and add the water. Cover the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until the apricots are tender and cooked through.

3. Put a small plate in the freezer.

4. Add the sugar to the apricots and cook, uncovered, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. As the mixture thickens and reduces, stir frequently to make sure the jam isn’t burning on the bottom.

5. When the jam looks thick and is looks slightly-jelled, turn off the heat and put a small amount of jam on the chilled plate. Put back in the freezer for a few minutes, then do the nudge test: If the jam mounds and wrinkles (as shown in the photo), it’s done. If not, continue to cook, then re-test the jam until it reaches that consistency.

(You can use a candy thermometer if you wish. The finished jam will be about 220ºF, 104ºC.)

6. Once done, stir in the lemon juice and kirsch, if using, and ladle the jam into clean jars. Cover tightly and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate until ready to use.

Storage: I find this jam will keep up to one year if refrigerated. If you wish to can it for long-term preservation, you can refer to the USDA Canning Guidelines for techniques.

From David Leibowitz 

Georgia Peach Chutney With Caramelized Ginger

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The Georgia peaches at my local Farmer's Market are so good I can't stop myself from buying them every time I stop for fresh local produce.    This year I have already made peach jam, peach pie for company three times, and peach ice cream at least a couple of times now that I have a new ice cream maker.  I just posted a recipe for a light peach smoothie in the lake blog.  Normally, by this time, I would scream if I saw another peach;  but  they are so good,  I can't stop looking for recipes to make use of this sensational harvest.

One thing I have not made is peach chutney, something I have been thinking of making and canning for presents this Christmas. The recipe I have in mind comes from Damon Lee Fowler's The Savannah Cookbook. It is made every summer by the women of St John's Episcopal Church for sale at their annual bazaar and though it is indeed a labor of love,  it is very simple to make.  This recipe makes a lot of chutney,  so this afternoon I decided to make a test run and try a small batch.  The only thing I did not have was fresh ginger so I used caramelized ginger and thought it added a nice touch to the texture of the chutney. 

I know canning sounds like a lot of work, particularly in this heat.  It isn't and you will be happy when Christmas comes along and half of your presents are already sitting in the pantry.  Wine has gotten so expensive it is no longer an option for a hostess gift unless you like the people an awful lot.  More and more, in this world of prepackaged ready to eat junk, homemade food is a treat so set aside an afternoon and kill two birds with one stone.  And when winter comes and you have to entertain, a couple of jars of chutney will come in very handy to serve with a fancy pork roast, ham or game.

Make sure you use golden raisins.  They are sweeter and blend well with the color of the peaches.  For a variation, I thought sweet red peppers would make a nice addition.

Makes 7 to 7 1/2 pints

Ingredients

3 cups cider vinegar

7 cups white sugar

1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced

2 TB mustard seeds

6 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, 2 tablespoons

3 cups golden raisins

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 cup peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped (I used caramelized ginger pieces) 

1 TB kosher salt

2 dozen (12 cups) Georgia peaches, blanched to remove the skin, pit removed, sliced into wedges

Variation:

Add 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded, diced 1/4 inch, about 1/2 cup (optional)

Preparation

Put the vinegar and  sugar into a non-reactive pot, place over medium heat and bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.. Add the onion, jalapeño, raisins, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, salt and peaches and simmer 10 minutes or until peaches are cooked.  Do not overcook so peaches don't get mushy

Pack the chutney in sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch at the top.  Seal with sterilized new lids and process jars in boiling water for 5 minutes.  As an alternative, chutney will keep in the refrigerator covered for a week.

If you are serving right away, allow to cool 15 minutes and serve room temperature

Photos Lindaraxa

Lattice-Top Peach Pie

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This is perhaps the most perfect, if not the best, peach pie I have ever tasted. There is no room for improvement here except perhaps changing around some of the steps involved to shorten the time it takes to prepare.

Rose Levy Beranbaum's is not a name that I am terribly familiar with but that changed a couple of days ago.   Her first book, The Cake Bible, was the 1989 winner of the IACP/Seagram Book of the Year and the NASFT Showcase Award for the cookbook that has contributed most to educating the consumer about specialty foods. A culinary best-seller, The Cake Bible is currently in its 47th printing. It was listed by the James Beard Foundation as one of the top 13 baking books on "the Essential Book List." She has been called the "Diva of Desserts" and "the most meticulous cook who ever lived."

It was not until I finished the pie and was ready to work on this post that I read the last line of her bio. Meticulous? that is one word I avoid like the plague, particularly when I'm cooking, although I have to admit that despite all the work, this pie was extraordinary. Not only was I pleased with the crust, but the filling had the perfect consistency.

In spite of the fact that I read the recipe through twice, I didn't realize how much down time there was. For every step there seemed to be another 45 minutes in the refrigerator and towards the end I started to grow impatient and cranky and started to cut back to about 15 minutes in the freezer. "Meticulous" meets "practical and impatient". Luckily I had the Sunday puzzle to work on and time went by like a breeze; but this is not a pie to make at the last minute.

Next time I make it, and I will make it again, here are some of the changes I suggest to speed up the process without sacrificing the end result.

- Make the dough the day before.

- When it calls for chilling in refrigerator, cut the time in half by placing it in the freezer

- Adjust the size of the disks by 2/3 for the bottom crust and 1/3 for the lattice

- Prepare the peach filling before you roll out the bottom crust

- Watch the cooking temperature closely. I adjusted down to 400 degrees for the last 20 minutes

When all is said and done, this is definitely the pie you want to make to impress your mother in law!

I macerate the peaches and boil the juices to concentrate them. This intensifies their peachiness and means you need less cornstarch thickener, thus preserving the fruit’s flavor. Rose Levy Bernbaum


Serves 8
Yields one 9-inch pie.

Ingredients

For the dough

6 oz. (12 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter
6-1/2 oz. (1-1/2 cups) bleached all-purpose flour
3-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) cake flour
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
4-1/2 oz. (1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs.) cold cream cheese
3 Tbs. heavy cream
1 Tbs. cider vinegar

For the filling:

2-3/4 lb. ripe but firm peaches (about 8 medium Georgia peaches)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar)
Pinch table salt
4 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. pure almond extract

For the glaze:

2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. turbinado sugar or granulated sugar

Directions

Make the dough: (I suggest you do this the day before)


Cut the butter into 3/4-inch cubes. Wrap them in plastic and freeze until hard, at least 30 minutes. Put the all-purpose flour, cake flour, salt, and baking powder in a metal bowl and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Put the cold flour mixture in a food processor and process for a few seconds to combine.

Cut the cold cream cheese into three or four pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Process for 20 seconds (the mixture should resemble fine meal). Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter pieces is larger than a pea, about five 3-second pulses. (Toss with a fork to see it better.)

Add the cream and vinegar and pulse in short bursts until the dough starts to come together (which will take a minute or two); the dough will still look crumbly but if you press it between your fingers, it should become smooth. Turn it out onto a clean work surface. Gather and press the dough together to form a unified mass.

Cut the dough in half and put each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Loosely cover the dough with the plastic. Using the wrap as an aid (to avoid warming the dough with your bare hands), shape one half of the dough into a flat disk and the other into a flat rectangle.( It took more than 1/2 the dough for the bottom crust.  I suggest you do 2/3 disk for bottom and 1/3 rectangle for lattice) Wrap each tightly in the plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to 24 hours.

You can make a day ahead up to here


Roll out the bottom crust:

Remove the disk of dough from the fridge (keep the rectangle refrigerated); if it’s very firm, let it sit at room temperature until it’s pliable enough to roll, 10 to 15 minutes.

Set the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap sprinkled lightly with flour. Roll it out to a 13-inch round that’s 1/8 inch thick, occasionally loosening and reapplying the plastic wrap.

Remove one piece of plastic and flip the dough into a standard metal 9-inch pie pan (it should be 1-1/4 inches deep and hold 4 cups of liquid). Fit the dough into the pan and carefully peel off the plastic. Trim the dough so there’s a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold the overhang underneath itself to create an edge that extends about 1/4 inch beyond the rim of the pie pan. Cover the dough-lined pie plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Make the filling and top the pie:

For easier peeling of the peaches, drop them in boiling water for a minute.  This makes it much easier to peel.


Peel the peaches. Halve each peach, remove the pit, and slice each half into eight thin wedges; you should have 6 cups.

Put the peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle the lemon juice over them. Sprinkle on the sugar and salt and toss gently to mix. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Transfer them to a colander suspended over a bowl to collect the juices; you should have almost 1 cup of liquid (if the peaches sat for several hours, you’ll have 1 to 1-1/2 cups liquid).

Pour the juices into a small, nonstick saucepan set over medium heat. Boil down the liquid, swirling but not stirring, until it’s syrupy, about 10 minutes; it should reduce to 1/3 to 1/2 cup, depending on how much liquid you started with. Set aside to cool for 1 or 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer the peaches to a bowl and toss them with the cornstarch and almond extract until all traces of cornstarch have disappeared. Pour the reduced peach juices over the peaches, tossing gently. (Don’t worry if the liquid hardens on the peaches; it will dissolve during baking.)

Remove the rectangle of dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until it’s pliable enough to roll, 10 to 15 minutes. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to an 11x14-inch or larger rectangle (if it becomes an oval, that’s fine); it should be no more than 1/8 inch thick.

Cut ten 3/4-inch-wide strips lengthwise down the rectangle, using a ruler to measure and mark 3/4-inch intervals and to cut a straight edge. If you want a crimped edge on the strips, use a fluted pastry wheel.

Stir the peach filling a few times and scrape it into the pie shell. Arrange five strips of dough evenly over the filling, starting with a long strip for the center. Gently fold back every other strip (the second and the fourth) to a little past the center. Choose another long strip of dough, hold it perpendicular to the other strips, and set it across the center of the pie.

Unfold the two folded strips so they lie flat on top of the perpendicular strip. Now fold back the strips that weren't folded back last time (the first, third, and fifth ones).

 Lay a second perpendicular strip of dough about 3/4-inch away from the last one. Unfold the three folded strips. Fold back the orginal two strips, set a a third perpendicular strip of dough 3/4 inch from the last one, and unfold the two strips.

Repeat on the other side with the two remaining strips: fold back alternating strips, lay a strip of dough on top, and unfold. Remember to alternate the strips that are folded back to create a woven effect. Trim the strips to a 1/2-inch overhang. Moisten the underside of each one and tuck it under the bottom crust, pressing to make it adhere. Crimp or flute the edges if you like.

Bake and let the pie cool:

Lightly cover the assembled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. (I placed it in the freezer for 30 minutes while oven was warming up) After 30 minutes of chilling, set an oven rack on the lowest rung and put a foil-lined baking stone or baking sheet on it. Heat the oven to 425°F.

Notice how meticulous I was cutting the strips

When the pie has chilled for 1 hour, brush the lattice with the milk and sprinkle on the sugar.

Set the pie directly on the baking stone or sheet. Bake until the juices are bubbling all over (the bubbles should be thick and slow near the pan edges), 40 to 50 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, cover the rim with foil or a pie shield. If the lattice starts to darken too much in the last 10 minutes of baking, cover it loosely with a piece of foil that has a vent hole poked in the center.

Let the pie cool on a rack until the juices have thickened, 3 hours.

Notice how in the end...it didn't matter!

by Rose Levy Beranbau
From Fine Cooking 65, pp. 68-71
July 1, 2004




Recipe via Fine Cooking
Photos #1, 3-6 Fine Cooking, #2,7-9 Lindaraxa

Peach Pit Ice Cream

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If you like peach ice cream, or any ice cream for that matter, you have to make this.  If you don't have an ice cream machine, go out and buy one, you have to try this recipe.  This, I guarantee, you won't get from Hagen Daz.  So enough praises....

I have not tried making peach ice cream for fear of disappointing myself.  I hate super creamy concoctions which is one of the reasons I prefer gelatos or sorbettos.  The only exception being Hagen Daz coffee ice cream which I adore and could eat the whole pint if left to my own devices.

The other day, leafing through one of Lee' Bailey's old cook books, I came upon this recipe.  What pushed me to try it was the first sentense, This unusual recipe makes a delicious ice cream with a strong peachy flavor. 

Well the result is just the right balance of peaches and cream.  What I will caution you against is making it on a 97 degree day.  It will never freeze in the machine.  I had to take it out and retry again a few hours later.  The alternative is cooling the cream overnight in the refrigerator and freezing in the machine the morning after when it's cooler. Oh, and another thing, the recipe says it will make a quart.  Don't count on it.  By the time you are finished testing to make sure it's okay, you will have gone through a couple of pints!

Make sure you use Georgia peaches, they are smaller but much sweeter and less fuzzy.  I will have to confess to always buying California peaches in the past until I got here.  They looked so big and luscious and Georgia peaches, well, they were much smaller.  Don't be deceived like I was, they are much more flavorful and we are at the height of the season.  After all, this is a Southern recipe!

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds ripe unblemished (Georgia)
peaches (about 8 large peaches)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks (at room temperature)

Procedure

Peel* and pit peaches, reserving peach skins and pits. In a food processor or blender, puree peach flesh with the lemon juice. You should have about 2 1/4 cups of puree. Cover and refrigerate (I placed in the freezer).

Place skins and pits in a large saucepan along with the cream and milk. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes, being careful not to let mixture boil. It may look slightly separated because of the acid in the fruit. Stir in sugar to dissolve and remove from the heat.

Whisk yolks and add about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid to warm them. Mix well and pour warmed yolks into the hot mixture, stirring constantly. Return saucepan to the heat and cook until custard coats the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Be careful not to let mixture boil as it may cause the custard to curdle.

Press a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mixture and allow to cool. When cool, strain and combine with the fruit pulp. Mix and chill.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Makes about 1 quart

*The best way to peel peaches is to throw them in boiling water for about 30 seconds.  Remove, let cool and the peel will come right off.


Images Google

Brandied Peaches

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You may have noticed, particularly if you are an old subscriber, that the recipes are getting simpler by the minute.  It is no coincidence, it is summer and it is hot, hot, hot,  here at the lake.  With this heat, who wants to cook and look at food! I just want to have light lunches, and possibly something grilled for dinner.  Last night I baked a zucchini casserole and thought I was going to faint in that kitchen.  By the time it was finished, I had no desire to eat anything hot.

I am a big believer in cooking with the seasons, and for the rest of the summer I will be posting recipes for the grill together with salads and simple side dishes.  When all this wonderful produce is in season you don't need to get complicated to eat well.

One of the things I am doing, though, is canning some of the fruits and vegetables before they go bad.  This wonderful recipe for candied peaches can be done in a jiffy, in the early part of the day, and canned for a later use, although  I don't go through all that.  It goes well with roasts, particularly pork, as well as grilled chicken.

Printable Recipe

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

3 Cups sugar
3 cups water
4 whole cloves
4 whole allspice berries
1 4- inch cinnamon stick
3 pounds unblemished peaches, dipped in hot water and peeled
4 TB brandy

Method

Put the sugar and water in a large kettle and bring to a boil.  Add the cloves, allspice and cinnamon.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Carefully add the peaches.  Simmer for 5 minutes until tender.  Remove the peaches to a large sterile jar with a snap lid.  Pour in cooking syrup and top with the brandy.  When cool, snap shut and store in refrigerator.

Let it mature a few days before serving.

Easy Summer Desserts....Peach Amaretto Sundaes

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The height of the summer season is next weekend with the Fourth of July.  Chances are you will either be having guests if you live in the country, the seashore, or like me, on a lake; or you will be going somewhere as a guest.  If you are having guests, come on over to my country blog and check out my game plan, including easy menus and recipes, for the entire weekend.  If you are a guests, come and see what your poor hostess has to go through in order for everyone to have an enjoyable weekend..  It would be wonderful if you could alleviate her load and bring over some cookies, dessert,  muffins, jams or anything else that would make things easier for her.  You could bake some cheese wafers and stick them in a tin.  They would be great to have with cocktails over the weekend.  Yes, flowers and wine are wonderful, but what your hostess really needs is some help with the menu.

If you can't cook or bake, or don't have time for either before you leave, offer to make dessert one night.  This desert is one of those easy and simple recipes that look like a million dollars but can be prepared in a jiffy.  Some things you can bring with you but others, like the ice cream, will need to be purchased nearby.   Amaretto cookies can be made or they can be bought in a tin at most gourmet stores.  I see them all the time at Marshall's!  The peaches are beginning to show up at the markets and you can buy some early next week so they will be ready for the weekend. And the liquor, well you know where to get that! Put everything in a basket and presto! you have a nice and very original hostess gift!

If on the other hand you are the hostess, this is the kind of dessert you will definitely need to keep handy for the rest of the summer.  Trust me, you will be pulling it out all the time

Juicy peaches, crushed cookies and vanilla ice cream spiked with brandy and amaretto add up to the perfect summer dessert.

yield: Serves 6


Ingredients

2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

5 tablespoons amaretto

2 tablespoons brandy

6 ripe peaches, peeled if desired, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup crushed amaretti cookies

mint leaves for decoration (optional)


Preparation

Combine ice cream, 3 tablespoons amaretto and 1 tablespoon brandy in large bowl. Stir to blend well. Cover and freeze until firm. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep ice cream mixture frozen.)

Combine peaches, sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons amaretto and remaining 1 tablespoon brandy in another large bowl. Toss to coat. Let peach mixture stand until sugar dissolves, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Divide sliced peaches among 6 dessert bowls or wineglasses. Spoon vanilla ice cream mixture atop peaches. Sprinkle desserts with crushed amaretti cookies. Decorate with  mint  Serve immediately.



Adapted from Bon Appetit

Peche Melba... A Homage to a Diva!

Pin It I had forgotten to publish this before I left for the lake so in a pinch for a post, here it is.

The move has been slower than I expected, seeing the house is larger than I anticipated (a good thing) and there are three levels ( a bad thing). It has been raining since I got here a week ago so I have to stop everything to clean up 8 little paws every time the dogs go out. Needless to say my lower back, which has always been a problem, is giving me a hard time. My daughter has promised to connect the wireless tonight as I have been working off this miniature laptop which is a pain in the neck. I will try to post at least twice a week for the next two weeks but forgive me if im not too chatty...its the exhaustion. I'm moving muscles I didnt know existed. Today I counted the steps up to the second floor ...sixteen!! and down to the lower level another sixteen..and most of the boxes are stacked up in the garage! So I would be lying to you if I told you I was cooking wonderful things every night. I will be back full force in a week or two.

The Peach Melba was made in honor of Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba by French chef Auguste Escoffier at London's Savoy hotel in 1894.

This recipe for Peches Melba (Melba Peaches) uses an often neglected and little known cooking technique called white poaching to keep the peaches firm. When white poaching, the ingredients are brought to barely a simmer and then the whole pan is removed from the heat. The hot mixture stays in the pan for a time, gently cooking in its own heat as it cools. The result is perfectly cooked, and never mushy.

This is the final dessert for the summer season so enjoy the peaches while they last!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

6 ripe peaches, peeled and pitted
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Sauce:

1 12-oz. package frozen unsweetened red raspberries, thawed in bowl
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Vanilla ice cream

Mint

Preparation:

Using a deep, wide skillet, heat 1 ¼ cups sugar and 2 cups water to boiling. After sugar dissolves, add peaches in a single layer. Reduce heat to just under simmering and poach, covered, for 5 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, gently turn all the peaches over, cover, and continue poaching for 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and allow peaches to sit in hot syrup for an additional 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Chill peaches in syrup for at least one hour.

Sauce:

Push raspberries and juice left from thawing through a fine-mesh sieve, and then discard seeds and solids; set aside. Bring 1/3 cup sugar and ¼ cup water to a boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and zest. Stir simple syrup (sugar mixture) into seedless raspberry puree and chill for 30 minutes.

Layer peaches and raspberries over ice cream in frosted dishes, decorate with mint leaves and serve.

Photo: Chris Bayley

End of Summer Peach Crumb Pie

Pin It Every year I do the same thing...come peach season I can't resist buying a big box of peaches and when I come home, pandemonium! I always think they will ripen in sequential pairs, but of course this isn't going to happen. Last night we had them marinaded in Prosecco, this morning I had some for breakfast, and tomorrow I will cheat, as they are not white peaches, and make a bastard Bellini. That still isn't going to cut it, so today I decided to make a pie, an easy pie. What makes it easy is the ready made pie shell and the crumb topping...no flour to mess with!

This pie should satisfy everybody. It's relatively tart on the inside ( I hate gooey over sweet fillings) but I went to town on the crumble. The result, the best I've had so far, seriously. Don't worry about the high temperature in the beginning and check on the pie after 20 minutes. If the edges are getting too dark, cover them with tin foil and return to oven. I have a gadget that you put over just the edges, and its great.



Ingredients

9- inch prebaked pie shell according to package directions
(I use Mrs. Smith's)

FILLING:

4 c. peeled and sliced peaches

1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar*

1/4 c. plain flour

2 tbsp. lemon juice


Combine all ingredients. Mix gently. Pour into a prebaked 9-inch pie shell


TOPPING:

1/2 c. cold butter

3/4 c. plain flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. regular sugar


Instructions


Cut up butter in about 8 pieces. Process butter, sugar and flour until crumbly in a food processor (pulse about 5 times). You want the mixture crumbly not mushy! Spread over pie filling in small crumbles. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 30 minutes more. You might need to cover the edges about 10 minutes before pie is done. Serve warm.

*Cooks Note I've given you a range depending on the fruit and how sweet or tart you like your filling. I used 1/4 cup in mine.

Labor Day...The Menu

Pin It Well, it's here, the last weekend of the Summer. Fall is in the air, even in Miami!

For us here in Florida it is really a non event, but I remember how much I used to hate it when I lived in New England. Even though the beautiful Fall season is just around the corner, Labor Day and September always mean the end of grilling, weekends at the beach, dinner on the patio, gardening and all the outdoor things we like to do. And if you are a kid, yucks, back to school time. Here in Florida, it is a time for hurricanes, boarding up and stocking up. Hopefully, it will be a quiet season just like the last two. No, Labor Day is definitely not worth the extra day off.

For this holiday, the main dish is Baby Back Ribs. For the sides I suggest a couple of salads already posted, and for dessert, well it's got to be peaches, so take your pick!

Don't despair, Fall is around the corner and apple season is about to begin. You can have a drink on that!

Here are some of the recipes I suggest you consider for this holiday:


Labor Day Menu & Suggestions


The Perfect Bloody Mary

Fiesta Salsa & Tortilla Chips

Irresistible Clam Dip

Ted's Baby Back Ribs

My Mother's Potato Salad

Bobby Flay's Cole Slaw

Tomatoes with Balsamic Olive Oil & Basil

Corn on the Cob

Peach Blueberry Crumble

Peach Crumb Pie

Peaches & Raspberries & Blueberries in Prosecco

Amaretti Cookies


The Baby Back ribs will be up Monday 8/24 after 3:00 am for subscribers and the Peach Crumb Pie on Wednesday 26th.

Bellini Sorbetto..A Drink for Dessert!

Pin It What could be better than a fresh peach and Prosecco bellini on a warm summer day, particularly now that the fresh peaches are coming in ? Why a cold refreshing bellini sorbetto of course! Made with the freshest ripe peaches, this tantalizing concoction of prosecco and peach is sure to tickle your tastebuds. I bet they don't have this at Harry's Bar!


This is a light and refreshing dessert that would go well after the Apricot Lamb Tagine. Make sure you serve it with Amaretti Cookies for a great combination.


SERVES 4 -6



Ingredients

1 cup water

1 1/4 lbs ripe peaches peeled, pitted and sliced (or 16 oz. frozen peaches)

1 lemon, juice of

1/2 cup prosecco or asti spumante sparkling wine*


Directions

Stir sugar into water in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir until sugar dissolves.

Bring to a slow boil and boil for 3 minutes. Cool.

Puree peaches in a blender; add cooled syrup and lemon juice.

Stir in wine.

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Serve in pretty glass bowls or champagne flutes.





*May also serve a small scoop in a tall glass and add sparkling wine for a refreshing after dinner dessert drink.

*You may substitute Champagne if you have some leftover from the night before. In that case, you would have a Peach Champagne Sorbet!


Adapted from Recipezzar

Peaches, Raspberries and Blueberries with Prosecco

Pin It If you went to the farmers market yesterday and came back loaded with peaches and berries, here's a delightful recipe for a Sunday dessert.

Ingredients

2 pounds peaches, preferably the aromatic white-fleshed variety

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups Prosecco or other young, fruity, dry white wine

1/2 pint raspberries

1/2 pint blueberries

Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Wash the peaches, peel them, pit them, and cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Put the peaches in a serving bowl, add the sugar and wine, and stir thoroughly. Wash the raspberries and blueberries and add them to the peaches.

Grate the thin, yellow skin of half a lemon, being careful not to dig into the bitter white pith beneath, and add it to the bowl. Turn over the bowl's contents several times. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, or even as far ahead as early morning of the day in which you intend to serve the fruit.

Recipe Courtesy of Marcella Hazan

Photo Flickr bonnerphotographic

Amaretti Cookies

Pin It After I posted the Roasted Peaches with Amaretti Crumble recipe, I got a lot of inquiries as to where to find the cookies. It is indeed a problem to find them these days, unless you have a good specialty store in your town. I have added them to my Amazon store in the right fray and also thought you might want to bake some yourself. They are really easy and simple to make and much better than the ones that come in the box.

This recipe for amaretti cookies, courtesy of chef Mario Batali, is an excellent accompaniment to pumpkin lune pasta and can be found in his book, "The Babbo Cookbook." Use them in the Roasted Peaches with Amaretti Crumble and as an accompaniment to the Chocolate Gelato Affogatto previously posted.

A nice espresso with these cookies is a delighful and "lite" dessert. Don't forget to add a touch of Limoncello to the espresso!

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole blanched almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large egg whites
Pinch of kosher salt
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon amaretto
1/2 cup turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place almonds, cornstarch, and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until almonds are very finely chopped.

Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add salt and beat on medium speed until foamy and light. Gradually add granulated sugar in a slow, steady steam and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Beat in almond extract and amaretto.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in ground almond mixture.

Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of batter onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie generously with turbinado sugar.

Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are pale golden and begin to crack slightly, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Leave oven door ajar to release some of the heat. Let cookies stand in oven until completely dry and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes more.

Let cookies cool briefly on baking sheets, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Roasted Peaches With Amaretti Crumble

Pin It If May and June were dedicated to blueberries and strawberries, July and August is the time for peaches. We've been getting the large ones from California, including the white peaches I love for Bellinis, and now is the time for Georgia peaches. I must say this year I was a little disappointed in the white peaches from California...we'll have to see what Georgia brings this month.

One of the advantages of a baked dessert is that the fruit does'nt have to be just right. You can always adjust the sweetness with a little sugar here and there. That is why I like to have this kind of recipe on hand. When the fruit is not up to par,use it in pies, crisps and crumbles and save the others to have by themselves.

This rustic take on a peach crumble couldn't be easier: Halved peaches are topped with a quick mixture that includes amaretti, almonds, butter, flour, and sugar. The crunchy topping is a nice contrast to the warm, tender peaches. Serve them with vanilla ice cream!


6 servings

Ingredients

5 amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons; about 3/4 ounce total) *
3 tablespoons whole natural almonds
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 firm but ripe large peaches, rinsed, wiped clean of fuzz, halved, pitted
Vanilla ice cream
Butter


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine cookies, almonds, flour, and sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, process until cookies and almonds are coarsely chopped. Add 3 tablespoons chilled butter to processor. Using on/off turns, process topping mixture until moist clumps form.

Place peach halves, cut side up, in prepared dish. Spread topping over surface of each peach half (about 1 generous tablespoon for each), pressing lightly to adhere and leaving 1/4-inch plain border. Add a tad of butter on top of the crumble.

Bake peaches until tender when pierced with knife and topping is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer 1 warm roasted peach half to each of 6 plates. Serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside.


Photograph by Nigel Cox

Adapted from the August 2009 Bon Appetit

*Amaretti Cookie Recipe click here

Fourth of July Barbecue...The Menu

Pin It A special friend has asked me for a menu for his Fourth of July barbecue that should have a recipe for kids not involving beef. What a dilemma! To me the Fourth of July is hamburgers or ribs on the grill or if I am by the seashore, a clam bake.

Sometimes we are presented with these situations where a guest cannot or will not eat beef or fish and what do we do? All I can say is that a good hostess should be able to accommodate everyone's tastes, allergies etc. while at the same time not sacrifice the majority for a few. In this situation, since we are going to be cooking on the grill, it's not a big problem to throw a few chicken pieces on the grill for those who don't like meat and that is what i have done. Drummettes are easy for little kids to handle and they also make great appetizers for the adults. Serve them for the grownups while you are having cocktails and save a few for the kids while the others are having hamburgers. That way everyone gets what they were expecting and you come out looking like a princess. Problem solved!


Fourth of July Barbecue

Clam Dip with Potato Chips

Grilled Chicken Drummettes

Grilled Double Cheese Hamburgers with Vidalia & Horseradish Mustard

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Dill Butter

My Mother's Potato Salad

Beefsteak Tomatoes, with Balsamic Vinegar, Basil & Olive Oil

Peach Blueberry Crumble

Tinto de Verano


I am posting the menu early so you can start salivating and making plans! The recipes will be posted by tomorrow evening at the latest! The clam dip and Tinto de Verano have been previously posted on the blog. Just click on them or do a search on the Google box.

Just so you know, I will be making my brother's secret hamburger recipe with a new twist. If you are going to buy the hamburger meat early, get half ground sirloin and half ground chuck. That is part of the SECRET!!!

Peach Blueberry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream

Pin It The good thing about a crumble is that you can assemble it in the morning, put it in the refrigerator and bake it late in the day. Then you can warm it in the oven as you are grilling your hamburgers and leave until ready to eat. Make sure you have some good vanilla ice cream to go on top!

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 pounds peaches (6-8 peaches) cut in 1/2, peeled, pitted, and cut in 1-inch wedges
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds, plus extra for sprinkling

Vanilla Ice Cream


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the sliced peaches, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the flour, and the orange juice and toss well. Add the blueberries and toss lightly. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.

For the topping, place the remaining 1 cup of flour, the remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the oats, and work it with your hands until it's in large crumbles. Add 1/2 cup of the almonds and mix well.

Spread the topping evenly over the peaches, making sure the fruit is covered. Sprinkle with some extra almonds. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

At Last!...It's Time for Bellinis

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There are bars that have invented famous cocktails. There are restaurants that have invented famous dishes. There are very few places that have done both. Harry's Bar in Venice, opened by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1931 right on the St Mark's bay waterfront, is one of them. The drink is the Bellini, a mixture of white peach juice and sparkling Prosecco, named after the fifteenth-century Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini. The dish is Carpaccio of beef, a plate of trimmed sirloin sliced wafer thin and dressed with a Jackson Pollock spray of mayonnaise mixed with lemon juice, which was invented for an Italian contessa who was on a diet free of cooked meat. It too was named after an Italian painter, Vittore Carpaccio, who was famous for his love of deep reds. I am not fond of Carpaccio, or anything raw for that matter, so when I go to Harry's, actually when I went to Harry's, I usually ordered the cannelloni or their Scampi alla Amatriciana.

I have been to Harry's bar on more than a few occasions, sometimes with friends and once by myself. I'll have to confess that it is one of the few places in the world where a woman can go alone and not feel strange or self conscious. The trick is to have your hotel concierge call and reserve the table for you, particularly if you are staying at the Gritti Palace or the Danielli. Years later, I found out an interesting policy of the restaurant's:

On the subject of getting a table, Arrigo Cipriani says 'My father always said that you should first seat the people who are by themselves because they have no one to talk to.'

You may be alone but, at Harry's Bar, the potential for people watching will more than make up for it!

As to the Bellini, if you want one just like the ones they serve at Harry's Bar, follow these directions:

1/3 part white peach puree
2/3 parts Prosecco

Make sure to pour the white peach nectar into the glass first.

If the peaches are not sweet enough, you can add a little sugar syrup to the peach puree.

A true Bellini is made with the nectar of white peaches and Italian sparkling wine, or Prosecco. White peaches, particularly the ones from California which are the best, are now arriving at supermarkets nationwide. Don't substitute the white peaches with yellow, particularly now that white peaches are in season.

White Peach Puree

You can easily peel the peaches by dropping them in hot boiling water for about a minute. Remove and peel immediately. Drop the pulp into a fine sieve and push down with a mortar to extract the juice. Freeze in individual containers and take out about a 1/2 hour before mixing.

Harry' Bar prices have always been outrageous... I can't imagine what they must be like now. A couple of years ago, a Bellini was 15 Euros, almost US$ 20 now! There is nothing like a Bellini drunk at Harry's Bar, but believe me, in the right atmosphere, they can be almost as good and you won't need to mortgage the house to order a couple!

I like to serve Bellinis before lunch, especially when the menu consists of risotto or any other Italian dish for lunch. They also go well with brunch and with cold salads. Very seldom will I serve a Bellini before dinner, unless it's terribly hot and we are having dinner outside.