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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 31, 2002

Peach primer: Preparation, storage tips

 •  Looks like stellar summer peach party season

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Try these recipes with peaches that are slightly hard or are a bit past their prime.

The roasted peaches are nice with ice cream or sorbet, whipped cream or a blend of whipped cream and cream cheese, or creme fraiche.

Herbed Roast Peaches

  • 4 large ripe peaches
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh lemon verbena or rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or mint

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the peaches in half and remove and discard the pits.

Brush the peaches with the melted butter. Place the peaches, cut side up, in a baking pan. Dust with the sugar. Sprinkle on the chopped fresh herbs.

Roast for 5 minutes. Turn the peaches over. Roast for another 3-7 minutes, or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.

Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet. Makes 4 servings.

Sweet Roast Peaches

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
  • 4 peaches, pitted and halved

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a glass baking dish, preferably 9 by 13 inches, combine the sugar, butter and water. Place in the oven until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, about

6 minutes. Remove from the oven and whisk in the vanilla and the liqueur. Place the peach halves, cut side down, in the baking dish and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Carefully slip off the peach skins. Serve immediately with desired accompaniments.

The following recipe, from "Damon Lee Fowler's New Southern Kitchen" (Simon & Schuster, 2002), makes six or seven half-pints of chutney.

Peach Chutney

  • 1 large lemon
  • 2 pounds firm, slightly under-ripe peaches
  • 1 cup currants or golden raisins
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
  • 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, lightly crushed, peeled, and minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
  • 1 or 2 green or red chile peppers, seeded and sliced
  • 3 cups cider vinegar
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon yellow or white mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Grate the zest from the lemon and put it into a glass or stainless-steel bowl that will hold at least 5 cups. Cut the lemon in half and juice it through a strainer into the bowl with the zest. Peel, cut in half, pit, and thinly slice the peaches, then cut the slices into 1/2-inch chips. Put the chips into the bowl with the lemon juice and zest as you go, tossing well with each addition to coat them with the juice. When all the peaches are cut, add the currants or raisins, onion, garlic, ginger, and hot pepper. Gently toss until the ingredients are well mixed.

Stir vinegar and sugar together in a heavy-bottomed stainless-steel saucepan or soup kettle that will hold at least 3 quarts. When the sugar is most dissolved, add the bay leaves, mustard seeds, and salt. Put the pan over medium-high heat and, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved, bring the solution to a boil. Add the peach mixture and bring the liquid back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chutney is thick and the peaches and onions are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Immediately ladle the chutney into sterilized half-pint jars. Seal immediately with new lids. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes.