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Make this special time of year last by freezing Soons peaches! Here's some how-to:
Prepping Peaches for Freezing
Preparing peaches for freezing requires peeling, pitting, and slicing--a challenge when handling a slippery peach. By placing whole unpeeled peaches in the freezer until semifrozen (1 1/2 to 2 hours) you loosen the skin from the flesh, making it easy to peel away the skin. Once peeled, the juice will have sufficiently solidified to make the fruit easy to hold and slice. To freeze completely and store, slice 4 medium peaches over a bowl filled with 1 1/2 tablespoons Fruit Fresh (or other ascorbic-acid-based product) and anywhere from zero to 1 1/2 cups sugar. After peach slices begin to release their juices, fill a zipper-lock freezer bag with both peaches and sugar and seal, removing as much air as possible.
-from Cooks Illustrated
One of our customers also says that putting the whole peach into a pot of water at a rolling boil for 2-3 minutes will literally "melt" the skin off.
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Peach recipes to enjoy
Peach Salsa
The terms "salsa," and "relish" can be used interchangeably, though salsas are usually made with Latin ingredients or flavors. Here's a quick, short, no-cook peach salsa from the book The Cook's Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue; the salsa is great served with grilled pork or lamb.
Nectarines (Soons grows these too!) can be substituted for the peaches. | Makes about 2 1/2 cups
2 ripe but still firm peaches, pitted and chopped coarse
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 small red onion, diced
6 tablespoons juice from 6 limes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves |
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 jalapeño chile, seeds and ribs removed, then minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
Salt |
Mix all of the ingredients, including salt to taste, together in a medium bowl. Cover the salsa and refrigerate to blend the flavors at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.
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Easy Peach Salsa...from the Valley Table's Anne Daily!
Saute some onions and garlic in olive oil, chop up some fresh hot peppers (without the seeds) and saute those for a minute, then toss in a bunch of fresh chopped up peaches and any type of vinegar (e.g., apple cider vinegar,) which cuts the heat of the peppers a bit). Add some salt and pepper and let it cook until you like the texture and the peaches are really soft, probably 1/2 hour on a very low heat. Toss in some chopped cilantro about 5 minutes before it's done. Cool & serve
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GRILLED PEACHES with SPICED BLUEBERRY SAUCE
INGREDIENTS for blueberry sauce
1 pint blueberries
1/2 cup sugar |
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg |
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup water |
Mix all the ingredients in a small pot, and cook over a medium flame until the mixture is thick. The berries will burst. Check for sweetness.
For the peaches: Cut the peaches into quarters and toss with oil; then place on the grill and cook until each side is marked with the grill.
To Serve: Scoop some vanilla ice cream into a bowl the top with the blueberry sauce. Then top with the warm peaches.
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