Summer Recipes with Fresh Peaches

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Fresh Peach - Suat Eman

From Mid-May to August of each year, sweet Georgia peaches are in full season. First cultivated in India and Persia, the seeds of peaches made their way to the east coast of the United States on ships, purportedly with Columbus.

Peaches were planted on acres of land along the east coast in South Carolina and Georgia. The most popular, Georgia peaches, are only available for sixteen weeks each year. Take advantage of the current season and try some new recipes with these incredibly tasty summer fruits.

Peach Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe, medium sized peaches
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp minced jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut peaches into small (half-inch) cubes. Dice bell pepper and mince jalapeno. Add to bowl.
2. Blend olive oil and fruit juice together, add to fruit, peppers, onion in bowl. Add jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper and stir.
3. Let salsa sit for several minutes, then taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary (add more lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno or salt).
4. Let salsa sit, covered, in refrigerator for several hours so flavors can meld.

Peach-Almond Kuchen (cake)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds
• 1-1/4 lbs peaches (4 cups), peeled, pitted, sliced
• 1 8-oz carton peach yogurt
• 1 3-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions for Crumb Topping:

1. Stir together the 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter till mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in almonds. Set aside.

Directions for Kuchen (cake):

1. Spoon peaches into ungreased dish (10 x 6 x 2 inch).
2. Beat yogurt and cream cheese with electric mixer. Add eggs, sugar and 1/4 cup flour, beating till smooth. Pour mixture over fruit in dish.
3. Sprinkle crumb topping around edge of dish. Bake at 375° F for 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

Peach French Toast

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup milk
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 large peaches, sliced
• 12 slices of French (day old) bread, slice 3/4 inch thick
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• optional: toasted, sliced pecans

Directions:

1. In sauce pan, stir together brown sugar and butter (and 1 Tbsp water) on low, Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour brown sugar mixture into 9 x 13 baking dish.
2. In med. bowl, add milk, eggs, vanilla,nutmeg and salt together, then whisk well.
3. Dredge bread slices in milk and egg mixture, turning once.
4. Layer peaches over sugar mixture, then top with bread slices after soaked in egg mixture.
5. Sprinkle cinnamon over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for a few hours, at minimum).
6. Remove dish from fridge, let come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before placing in a 350° oven for 25-30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown.

Serve with toasted, sliced pecans and maple syrup. Some prefer serving without syrup and just a little butter since this is already quite sweet. Another way to serve this french toast is with peach preserves instead of syrup.

For more summer recipe ideas, try these:

Tropical Mango Recipes

Chilled Red or White Gazpacho Soups

Summer Desserts with Fruit

Vicki F. Chavis - Growing up in Asia, Europe and North America left Vicki with a love of cuisine, history, language, fashion and travel. Today she writes on ...

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