Peaches pair quite well with spice
- Scott Daniels: We Ate Well and Cheaply
- August 7, 2023
- 574
It’s time for the arrival of one of the most versatile and likely, in most of our kitchens, underutilized fruits: the peach. It is a remarkably adaptable food and can be paired with everything from other fruits to spicy chilies. If you aren’t grilling them with whatever protein you have on the grill, you’re missing one of summer’s great treats.
Peaches vary widely in flavor and juiciness, depending on variety and where they’re grown. For example, peaches grown in the Carolinas bring the guarantee of being juicy with an abundance of sweetness. If the peaches are grown in Pennsylvania or New Jersey (other top-producing states), they will be firmer, less juicy and a tad bitter. Regardless of from where they hail, peaches should be a staple in your summer cooking.
Until recently, I judged peaches solely by how easily they released their pit. I like to cut them open and see that seed ready to just pop right out. But I also prefer peaches and nectarines which are young and quite firm, like a psychopath.
The best peaches are those that soak your shirt sleeve while you eat them. Not to single out a source, but the farm stand across from the Lynn Drive-In Movies in Strasburg is a good source for juicy Carolina peaches.
Most of us think of peaches in terms of a cobbler or perhaps with ice cream. We speak of lovely young ladies having a peaches and cream complexion, but the root of the expression is delicious. A sliced peach in a pool of cream is a treat of which I can eat bowl after bowl. But there are many possible uses for peaches you may have not considered.
Peaches go with most meats beautifully, and the more charred the protein, the better the pairing. They can be seared alongside a steak, glazed with balsamic vinegar and served warm as a refresher for more savory components of a plate.
Surprisingly, peaches pair well with spice, providing just the right counterpart. They also lend themselves to pairings with vegetables, like golden beets. You can put the two together with slices of mozzarella, some basil, and a reduction of balsamic and honey for a great summer salad. Wait, did I say mozzarella? Try blue cheese instead.
As a traditional guy, I can’t get enough of cobblers made with peaches and blueberries. Somehow, the biscuit topping drowned in fresh cream shouts summer to me. Sometimes the traditional stuff earns that position honestly.
There’s also peach salsa, peach chutney and peach barbecue sauce. This is a basic recipe, to which you can add many variables like bacon, green chilies, garlic or anything that suits your fancy. The sauce can be used to slather onto grilled meats or as a dip for chicken wings. The beauty of it is the adaptability of the main ingredient. Make it as sweet or savory as you like.
PEACH BARBECUE SAUCE
4-6 fresh, juicy peaches
2 tablespoons plain yellow mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits, leaving the fuzzy skin on. Grill them on a hot gas or charcoal grill for about 8 minutes, until soft and charred a bit. Alternatively, char them in a cast iron skillet.
Add them to a food processor bowl or blender and add the remaining ingredients. If it seems too thin, you can reduce it on the stovetop for a few minutes over medium heat.