BY GWEN KENNEALLY
I have pie clients doing cartwheels because peaches are in season and I must say that the crop is one of the best in years! I love the basic old fashioned deep dish pie, as well as mixing peaches up with other non traditional things. Enjoy these peachy-keen recipes!
Peach Barbecue Sauce
9 Peaches, pitted and chopped
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
1-cup canola oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch ginger, minced
5 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
5 shakes Tabasco
1 teaspoons pepper
2 cups brown sugar
2-tablespoon cornstarch
Puree peaches. Mix cornstarch with a little water. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and heat to low boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to simmer 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with anything you would use a traditional BBQ sauce.
Cold Peach and Schnapps Soup
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup peach schnapps
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups half-and-half
12 peaches, peeled and sliced
Yogurt and extra peach slices, for garnish
In a pan, combine the wine, peach schnapps, sugar, chopped mint leaves, cinnamon and the half-and-half.
Stir the above ingredients until well blended and the sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced peaches, and cook the mixture, over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent sticking and burning. When the peaches are tender, remove the mixture from the heat, and allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes. Pour mixture to a blender or a food processor, and blend/process until mixture is completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt and a fresh peach slice. Serves 4-6.
Peach and Brie Quesadillas
1 cup thinly sliced peeled firm ripe peaches (about 2 large)
4 oz brie, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1-teaspoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch ginger, peeled and minced
½ cup red onion, diced
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Chive strips
Combine peaches, 1-tablespoon chives, sugar, garlic, ginger and red onions tossing gently to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange one-fourth of cheese and one-fourth of peach mixture over half of each tortilla; fold tortillas in half. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until tortillas are lightly browned and crisp. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges; Garnish with chive strips. Serves 4.
Deep Dish Peach Pie
Crust
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 cup shortening, chilled
1/2-teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons ice water
Place flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry bender or two knives, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring it in with a fork. Pat the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it at least 1 hour.
Filling
10 cups peeled, pitted, and sliced fresh peaches
Juice of one large lemon
1/2-cup sugar
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-teaspoon ground ginger
1/4-teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 375F. When the dough has chilled, divide it in half. Wrap 1 half in plastic wrap and return it to the refrigerator. Roll out the other half on a floured board and fit it into the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Very gently toss peaches in the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and flour and toss again with a spatula or wooden spoon to blend. Spoon the filling on top of the bottom crust. Roll out the remaining pastry on a floured board. Wet your fingertips with water and moisten exposed edges of the bottom crust. Place the top crust over the peach filing and crimp or flute the edges together. Cut several steam vents in the top crust. Bake the cobbler for about 1 1/4 hours, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and serve.
Peach Ice Cream
1-quart milk plus 1 cup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small can evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pint whipping cream
1-cup sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla flavoring
3 cups mashed peaches mixed with 3/4 cups sugar and juice of 1 lemon.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Place into yourelectric ice-cream maker following manufacturers instructions. Enjoy!
Gwen Kenneally is the owner of Back to the Kitchen, Full Service Catering and Party Planning. She is the co-founder and master baker at Magpie Gourmet Mini Pies. CLICK HERE to Learn from Gwen through her instructional videos featured on EHow. Check out her websites www.Backtothekitchen.net and http://magpieminipie.vpweb.com. Her Sweet and Savory Cookbook is available through AMAZON .
About Karen Young
