Peaches
Do you like peaches?
They are "sweet, juicy and fragrant, peaches are one of the most beautiful fruit around. Around the size of a tennis ball, they are covered with a velvety down, and most commonly have a red-blushed yellow skin and golden yellow flesh, apart from white peaches, which have a pink-blushed cream skin and pinky white flesh. It's possible to find flattish, disc-shaped varieties of peach, but the most common type is spherical, with a little peak (known as a 'beak') at one end. Just like nectarines, they come in either clingstone or freestone varieties - the name indicates how easily the stone is freed from the flesh.
Availability:
Peaches can be available year round, but depending where you live the season for fresh fruits can be from May through to September.
Choose the best:
Choose the best:
A ripe peach will have a fragrant aroma, and will be yellow around the stem. It should feel firm but will yield slightly when it's gently squeezed. Avoid any peaches that feel hard, or that have bruising or mould. Slightly under ripe peaches will soften if stored at room temperature, but won't get much sweeter.
Prepare it:
Following the line of the dimple, cut around the fruit with a sharp knife, then twist each half apart. Slice or chop as required. If there is too much fuzzy bloom on the skin for your taste, you can rub it off under cold water. Tough skin can be peeled off with your fingers, or drop the peach into boiling water for around 15 or more seconds then plunge immediately into cold water. The skin should then come away easily.
If you are not going to eat cut peaches straight away, brush the cut sides with lemon juice or acidulated water to prevent them going brown.
Store it:
Slightly under ripe peaches can be ripened at room temperature for a day or two. They should then be kept in the fridge in a perforated bag, where they'll keep for a couple of days.
Cook it:
Eat raw, as they are, or slice and add to fruit salads, pavlovas or trifles. Use to make tarts, or serve with vanilla ice cream or cream. Poach (10 minutes for whole; 4-5 for halves). Halve and roast (15-20 minutes).
Alternatives:
Cook it:
Eat raw, as they are, or slice and add to fruit salads, pavlovas or trifles. Use to make tarts, or serve with vanilla ice cream or cream. Poach (10 minutes for whole; 4-5 for halves). Halve and roast (15-20 minutes).
Alternatives:
Try nectarine."
Out shopping earlier this week, my local store had some peaches. They are lovely to eat on their own, or how about this winning combination … pork and peaches!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 thin-cut boneless pork loin steaks
black pepper to season
2 peaches washed, de-stoned and cut into wedges
1 red onion peeled and cut into wedges
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
14g fresh basil, washed and torn
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Heat the oil in a large-lidded flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Season the pork on both sides with black pepper, then add to the casserole dish and cook for 3 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
2. Add the peaches to the casserole dish along with the onion, vinegar and 1 tablespoon of cold water. Season with freshly ground black pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 3. Return the pork to the casserole dish. Put the lid on and transfer to the oven. Roast for 8 minutes until the pork is cooked through with no pink remaining and the peaches are just tender.
4. Sprinkle the basil over the casserole and serve with vegetables of your choice, how about mashed swede/rutabaga, see here
Nutrition Per Serving:
Fat 23.4g Protein 7.9g Carbs 8.3g
From an original idea here
All the best Jan
38 comments:
I like all of the stone fruit, but probably would eat them raw.
I love peaches, the juicier the better.
Yum,love peaches,I should definitely try it☺
This sounds good. Peaches and nectarines are always yummy. Valerie
Thanks for sharing all these yummy recipes and facts Jan. I always enjoy stopping by!
For some unknown reason I can't stand the furry skin of the peaches (unless someone peels them for me, but will eat nectarines instead.
...peaces are a bit off here, but the are worth the wait.
I'll take the peaches, you can have the pork steak (grin)!
I prefer unadulterated peaches, one eaten out of hand with juice dripping from my face. Since I will only eat Elberta peaches, I eat few peaches. Well, I would eat other varieties, but I cannot find ripe peaches in store or at market.
Not a combination I've every thunk of
...now MUSHROOMS...
I have never seen peaches cooked with a meat dish before. They are a more versatile fruit than I thought.
Sounds like an interesting combination indeed.
Just love peaches.
Oh! I must try this recipe!!!
Thank you Jan!!!
We often have pork and apricots but not tried it with peaches. Sounds delicious.
These look like some excellent recipes. Thank you for sharing! PS Is there anyone who doesn't love peaches? :-)
OOhh, what an exquisite recipe !! It may be delicious, and I'm sure I'll do it, because I love peaches. In addition, the season of this tasty fruit begins now. Thank you very much for sharing it with us.
I wish you a very nice Thursday,
Big hugs, Caty
Hi Jan. Peaches and pork chops, my two very favorite things. Will be sure to try this one. Thanks for sharing and for your kind visit..Happy Wednesday..Judy
Looks delicious, I do love peaches.
Que ricos....
Sounds good!
LOVE peaches! Anytime, anywhere. :)
I've been trying to link to your site here, but will try again.
Thanks for always sending such nice comments, Jan.
Yes! Do like peaches.
Never mind, I fixed your link. :)
My favourite! I love peaches! Thanks for the great post Jan! Big Hugs!
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Hugs,
Debbie
I adore peaches though we don't see the really fresh, sweet ones till late August. And then you snatch them up quick, because they don't last long!
Me encantan los melocotones. Besitos.
I love peaches! Looking forward to eating my fair share this summer :)
Although I no longer eat meat, this sounds like a dish I would have really enjoyed back in the day. :) I need to go get some peaches. Yum!
~Jess
Jan - I love peaches, especially when they are slightly warm from the sun - it brings out the aroma and softens the peach, I think! I have wonderful memories of family trips from Ohio to Florida - my Dad would always stop at a fruit stand along the way and buy Georgia peaches!
Georgia is THE peach state!
My husband love this fruit dear Jan but i like apricot more
this is great recipe
best wishes for your days ahead my friend!
Yum.
Peaches are wonderful! I admit to not having cooked with them much, other than for peach pie, but perhaps now is the time to start. we do a couple of dishes with apricots and I can't imagine that substituting peaches wouldn't work equally well.
Great Pharma must hate this.
I love peaches and that sounds really good.
Yum! Our stone fruit season is yet to come Down Under...during our summer...like it is with you up your way.
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