RECIPES: Peaches add summer flavor to salad, baked chicken and tartlets
Peaches are the quintessential summer fruit. Yes, summer is high season for many fruits across the U.S., including blueberries, cherries and other stone fruits such as plums and nectarines, but peaches, especially in the South, mean summer. From the peach milkshake at Chick-fil-A to cobbler and ice cream on granny’s porch, peaches are peak summer produce.
Sadly, winter weather devastated this year’s peach crop in Georgia and South Carolina, two of the top four states for peach production. A very mild winter and a late cold snap created a lethal one-two punch. “It’s the worst peach season since 1955,” said Lawton Pearson, a fifth-generation peach farmer in Fort Valley, Georgia.
Even though local peaches are harder to come by this year, you can find California peaches in the produce aisles at the grocery store. You cannot tell if a peach is ripe by the color, as different kinds of peaches are different colors. Depending on the variety, peach skin can be dark red to light blush to pale yellow. Look for plump fruit without bruises or shriveled skin. Whatever color the skin is, avoid fruit with a greenish tinge around the stem end, indicating that the fruit is much too under-ripe. Do not refrigerate unripe peaches because the cold temperature will stop them from ripening. Instead, store peaches on the kitchen counter or in a cool, dry space so they will ripen to just firm to slightly soft. Once the peaches are fully ripened, they may be placed in the refrigerator for later use.
Peaches, with their natural sweetness, are fantastic eaten raw. They’re great sliced or chopped and put into yogurt or as a fruity addition to a bowl of cereal. Peaches really shine in desserts such as cobbler, pie and ice cream. And peaches are incredible in savory dishes. Try them chopped and added to green and grain salads for a burst of juicy freshness.
In general, I do not peel peaches for raw or cooked preparations. It’s not pure laziness; part of the sentiment is that the longer I cook, the less I do to the food to remove it from its original state. Also, peach skin is full of healthy vitamins and nutrients, including fiber and antioxidant compounds. The highest concentrations of these benefits are in the skin, rather than the flesh.
The recipe for Baked Chicken with Peaches and Basil is a summer standby in my home. Each serving contains an entire peach per person. That’s the way to get some fruit in your diet without a hefty load of butter and sugar. And the Green Beans, Peaches and Tomato Salad is a flavor and color explosion. All too often, we only consider lettuce when preparing salads. This crunchy, crispy combination is certain to be a hit at your next dinner on the deck. This peach recipe trio wraps up with Peach Tartlets with Make-Ahead Nut Crumble. It’s a peach tart and crumble smashup accented with both fresh peaches and peach jam for a dessert that celebrates one of summer’s favorite fruits.
RECIPES
Peaches shine in this trio of recipes: Baked Chicken with Peaches and Basil; Green Beans, Peaches and Tomato Salad; and Peach Tartlets with Make-Ahead Nut Crumble. You will love these simple, straightforward dishes that celebrate the sweet and juicy summer peach.
Baked Chicken with Peaches and Basil
This recipe has an entire peach per serving, enabling this quick-cooking healthy dish to be not only satisfying, but also hearty and filling. No dry boneless, skinless chicken breasts here! Instead, you can expect an intensely flavorful combination of tender peaches and a light, savory onion sauce.
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 12 basil leaves, finely chopped, plus more whole leaves for garnish
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the chicken dry on both sides with paper towels. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Spray a large ovenproof skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until seared, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Decrease the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 45 to 60 seconds. Add the chopped basil, chicken stock and peaches. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat. Transfer to the oven. Bake until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with the point of a knife, about 15 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 393 calories (percent of calories from fat, 23), 54 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams total sugars, 3 grams fiber, 10 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 167 milligrams cholesterol, 259 milligrams sodium.
Green Beans, Peaches and Tomato Salad
The adage “What grows together, goes together” is what enables this dish to work. I can only imagine an old country cook questioning putting peaches in green beans, much less serving the unusual combination as a salad, but the mixture of flavor, texture and colors is vibrant and delicious.
- 1 pound French green beans, stem ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 to 3 heirloom tomatoes, coarsely sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 peaches, pitted and coarsely sliced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, grated on a Microplane or very finely chopped into a paste
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
- Place the green beans in a microwave-safe container. Add 1/4 cup water and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high until tender, but still crunchy, about 5 minutes. Drain and discard the cooking water. Set green beans aside to cool slightly.
- While the green beans are cooking, place the tomatoes in a large serving bowl. Season with the salt and pepper and toss to coat. (The salt will draw out some of the juices from the tomatoes.) Add peaches, cooked green beans, olive oil, vinegar, garlic paste and parsley. Toss to coat. Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate until chilled.
Nutritional information
Serving size: 4Per serving: Per serving: 199 calories (percent of calories from fat, 60), 3 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams total sugars, 5 grams fiber, 14 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 153 milligrams sodium.
Peach Tartlets with Make-Ahead Nut Crumble
In this tart-crumble, raw, cooked, baked and jammy peaches are used to layer flavor. The method of preparing the tart shells leaves no scraps unused and wasted.
- 1 sheet Pillsbury premade pie crust
- 4 ripe peaches, divided
- 1/2 cup peach jelly, divided
- 1 cup Make-Ahead Nut Crumble (recipe follows)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
- Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Unfold the pie crust; press out fold lines with your fingers. With rolling pin, roll crust to form 12-inch round. With a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter or using a bowl as a guide, cut 4 rounds from crust, reserving scraps. Place rounds on prepared baking sheet.
- Combine scraps and divide into 4 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch rope then flatten slightly. Using your fingertips, wet the outside edge of 1 round of dough. Place the ribbon of dough around the circumference of the round and press to attach and adhere. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and let chill until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pit the peaches. Cut 2 peaches into slices and set aside. Coarsely chop the other 2 peaches and set aside.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Once the dough is chilled, remove and prepare the tartlets. Spread 1 tablespoon peach jelly on the bottom of each tartlet. Top each with an equal portion of sliced peaches followed by 1/4 cup crumble. Transfer to the oven and bake until the pastry and crumble are both golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- To serve, divide the warm tarts between 4 bowls. Scatter an equal portion of the chopped peaches around each tart. Top each with a scoop of ice cream and 1 tablespoon peach jelly. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, tartlet and crumble and jelly topping without vanilla ice cream: 528 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 6 grams protein, 87 grams carbohydrates, 47 grams total sugars, 4 grams fiber, 21 grams total fat (9 grams saturated), 25 milligrams cholesterol, 292 milligrams sodium.
Make-Ahead Nut Crumble
Keep this crumble topping at the ready to make quick desserts. It’s tasty with these tartlets, but can also be used as a topping by placing chopped fruit in ovenproof ramekins and topping with crumble before baking. Simply bake at 350 degrees until fruit is tender and crumble is browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts such as almonds, peanuts, pecans or almonds
- Pinch of salt
- Place the butter in a bowl. Add the sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Using a pastry cutter, 2 knives, 2 forks, or even the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, cut or pulse to combine the ingredients into a bumpy, pebbly crumble. Transfer to a sealable container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/4 cup serving: 157 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 2 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 9 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 15 milligrams cholesterol, 20 milligrams sodium.Note: For nutritional calculations, the salt included is defined as 1/16 teaspoon.
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