In summer there’s usually about four weeks when Italian or Spanish peaches are at their tip top best.
We are now slap bang in the middle of that time frame and this is the perfect time to use and cherish these fruits. Simply biting into them, allowing the juices to soak your chin is a sublime moment of succulent perfection. In her book How to Eat a Peach, Portrush native and globally renowned food writer, Diana Henry, describes eating peaches in Italy. Slices of peaches are added to sparkling, sweet Moscato wine and allowed to infuse for a few seconds. She recalls savouring the peaches “now flavoured with the wine and drinking the wine, now imbued with the peaches”. To her mind, “You don’t have to make food that is complicated for it to be wonderful.”
When I was growing up my mum would cook the pristine peaches lightly in honey and freeze them for the winter months. Another savoury way of preserving them is to pickle them – combine 300ml white wine vinegar with 250ml water, 200g of sugar a few bay leaves and some thyme in a pan and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Score the top of the peaches and plunge in boiling water for 10 seconds before adding to cold water. Peel and halve the peaches and place in a sterilized Kilner jar. Pour over the pickle liquor and seal. Served with pork, duck or cheeses this is a culinary delight that extends the perfect peach season.
Another way to capture the essence of this beautiful, gentle, fluffy fruit is to make a simple jam – because they are naturally so sweet, having been kissed liberally by Mediterranean sunshine the additional sugar content can be kept to a minimum. Store some for later in the year and use the confection now to top a gingery, coconut shortcake. Add some mascarpone cream and fresh peach slices for a proper celebration of this lovely fruit.
This lush, sweet pome also lends itself to savoury dishes. A classic is to serve it with creamy mozzarella and salty Parma ham. My riff on this is to pair the peaches with the shredded slow cooked meat from duck legs. Instead of an oiled based dressing, caramelized honey with lemon, vinegar and chilli added is drizzled over the salad. It adds a smoky, hot and sour edge to the dish.
The season for these impeccable fruits is limited so make the most of them while they’re here. And remember a peach is for life not just for summer.
Coconut and ginger shortcake with peaches and cream
Crispy duck salad with grilled peaches, mint and chilli honey
For the shortcake
225g chopped butter
225g plain flour
25g desiccated coconut
2 tsp chopped preserved ginger
115g castor sugar
85g cornflour
Method
Set oven to 170C and line a Swiss roll tin with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, remove from heat and mix in the flour, sugar, cornflour, coconut and ginger. Spread over the parchment paper evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden on top. Cut into 12 squares while hot and allow to cool.
For the peach jam
8 ripe peaches
100g castor sugar
Score the tops of the peaches and bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Have a bowl of iced water ready. Plunge 2 of the peaches into the water for 10 seconds, then into the iced water. Repeat with the rest. Peel the peaches and reserve two. Halve, stone and dice the rest and place in a pan with the sugar and cook over a medium heat until the mixture is jammy – about half an hour. Cool.
For the cream
250g mascarpone
250ml double cream
50g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Whip the mascarpone and cream to soft peaks and add the icing sugar and vanilla.
Spoon some jam over the shortcake. Pipe on some of the cream.
Slice the remaining 2 peaches thinly and arrange on top.
Crispy duck salad with grilled peaches, mint and chilli honey
4 duck legs
1 tsp five spice powder
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
50ml soy sauce
150ml water
Method
Prick the duck skin with a fork. Mix the salt, five spice and pepper together and rub all over the duck. Place in fridge for a couple of hours.
Pat the legs with kitchen roll and place in frying pan over medium heat. Cook the legs until the skin is golden and then turn over on other side. Transfer to a baking dish and add the water and soy. Cook in a 200C oven for 20 minutes then lower the heat to 140C and cook until fork tender – about another 45 minutes. Cool slightly and shred the meat from the bone.
4 peaches
Couple of handfuls salad leaves
2 tsp mint leaves
50ml honey
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp vinegar
1 red chilli, finely sliced
Cut the peaches in half, remove the stone and place the cut side on a hot grill pan to scorch. Slice the peaches and arrange on a platter with the leaves. Scatter over the duck and mint leaves. Cook the honey in a small pan until amber coloured and carefully add the lemon and vinegar. Cook to a syrup and add the chilli. Cook for 30 seconds then drizzle all over the duck and peaches and serve.
For more information on Paula, see paulamcintyre.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @paula_mcintyre
