AUGUST IS STONE FRUIT TIME
My summer’s blogs wouldn’t be complete without discussing those delicious, succulent stone fruits, peaches, apricots and plums. Not only are they favorites for flavor, but in an age when most fresh produce is available all year, or found in the frozen section, stone fruits are found in markets fresh for just a few weeks and only peaches are frozen. (If you want to learn to freeze them, and other summer items, at home see posts for Feb. 2, 2012, Sept. 22, 2016, Sept.3, 2020 and Sept. 10, 2020) This year, I decided to review past posts and reprint a few recipes I found memorable for ease of prep, taste and presentation.
There are lots more easy, fun delicious recipes on my blog, in too many posts to back-link here. To find them go to Archives, roll the Home Page panorama or use the drop-down menu in the right margin of any blog page and pick August and September of each year.
Stone fruits combine well, not only with other ingredients, but with each other. If there isn’t enough of one type for a recipe, another can often be used to fill the quota. They’re generally interchangeable in recipes especially peaches and nectarines, which are really an antique Chinese variety of peach. Only peaches, of all the stone fruits, have to be skinned before cooking. That’s done as with tomatoes, by dipping in boiling water and peeling off the skin, but don’t remove the skin if grilling, roasting or broiling them, unless they’re to be sliced. Though the end-of-season fruits may be of lesser quality to eat raw, they cook as well, perhaps even better than the lush ones in their prime. Probably it’s due to the fact that they have less water content and the meat is more compact, but heating brings out a ton of flavor.
APRICOTS
In the U.S., apricots are the least visible members of the stone fruit group. Resembling small peaches with a slightly more acidic taste and less juice, apricots are the perfect on-the-go snack, able to be consumed in four bites, leaving no drippy mess.
Native to China, related to plums, apricots date back to 3000 B.C. By the first century A.D. they were established in Armenia, leading to the misconception by Europeans who discovered them there in the 15thcentury, they were from that region. Smaller and hardier than other stone fruit trees, apricots got an early start in the New World. However, though they can stand extreme cold, they won’t produce in a climate where temperature fluctuates, which is why they grow well in Turkey. They preserve so well that in the U.S we focus on the processed fruit jam, nectar, canned, dried and tend to overlook the fresh.
In 2018, I was determined to find uses for fresh apricots and, being summer, I wanted recipes which didn’t take hours in a hot kitchen. Quick, fresh and easy was my goal. I hope I succeeded. Below is a sampling from that blog and if you want more consult the article. (Aug.9, 2018)
Quick Apricot Ice Cream: Yield about 1 gallon
4lb. apricots-stoned and pureed
¼ cup sugar
Pinch salt
Drop almond, vanilla or rum extract-optional
½ gallon vanilla ice cream
Mix the extract, salt and sugar with the pulp and let stand to dissolve . Mix the pulp in with the softened ice cream-partially, leaving a ripple effect is attractive-or fully incorporate the two. Place in a covered container and freeze until firm-best overnight at least.
Puff Pastry Tart: Serves 6-8– A Martha Stewart Recipe
1 cup shelled toasted pistachios + 1 Tbs.
½ cup sugar
1 stick butter pulse
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Flour for dusting
1 lb. box puff pastry-thawed
1 ¼ lb. apricots cut in ¼ inch slices
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. heavy cream
2 Tbs. raw sugar-granulated O.K.
¼ cup apricot jam
Pulse the 1 cup nuts, sugar and butter into a paste . Add next 3 ingredients and pulse to combine. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, press edges of both pastry sheets together to form one large sheet. Roll out to a 9-by-17-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread reserved pistachio mixture over dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Position rectangle so that a short end is nearest you. Arrange apricots on top in 4 vertical rows, alternating direction in which apricots face from row to row. Fold in edges of dough; use your index finger to make a scalloped border. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. . Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together yolk and cream; brush egg wash over edges of tart shell. Chop remaining tablespoon nuts; sprinkle nuts and turbinado sugar over apricots. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and fruit is juicy, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. . Meanwhile, heat jam with 1 ½ tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until thinned, about 2 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Brush glaze over fruit.
PLUMS
Plums may be one of the earliest domesticated fruits. The main cultivars, or named species of a plant still cultivated today, have been found around the remains of Neolithic settlements. Unlike other stone fruits, plums seem to have originated in two strains and in two places; one comes from the mountains of Eastern Europe, the other from Asia. Plums are the most widely grown of the stone fruits, and exist in the largest number of verities, including Plouts, which like nectarines are sold as a separate fruit. Interestingly, the major cause of the many verities of plums is due to geographic location, climate and soil, rather than genetic engineering.
Like apricots, plums are most often eaten out-of-hand, dried as prunes, preserved in jams or canned, rather than used as a recipe ingredient and their texture makes them unsuitable for freezing. However, they are excellent additions to fruit cocktails and salads. For more great plum recipes see Aug. 25, 2015
Plum Rustica, or Galette: Serves 6-8- from my book Dinners with Joy
Crust if making: mix
1 ½ cups flour, optionally substitute whole wheat pastry flour for half the regular.
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
3 to 4 Tbs. ICE water to form dough
1/3cup chopped toasted almonds or walnuts-optional
Combine sugar and flour. Cut butter into flour mix until texture is like gravel. Add water and form a dough ball. Chill 20 min. then roll to a 12 inch round. Transfer to a parchment or foil covered cookie sheet, or a pizza pan for baking. Optionally, sprinkle 1/3 cup chopped, toasted nuts over the bottom for plums, a sprinkle of cinnamon works for the other fruits.
Depending on size, fill the center with a 1 lb. to 1 ½ lb. fruit, leaving a 2 to 3 inch margin. (Apples pears and peaches should be peeled and sliced. Plums and apricots can be halved and stoned.)
Dot fruit with ½ Tbs. butter. Sprinkle with 1 Tbs. cornstarch, 1 Tbs. sugar and ½ tsp. lemon juice.
Carefully fold edges of pastry up around filling, pleating as you go. The edges can be brushed with cream or egg white and sprinkled with sugar as decoration. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min. Cool on sheet; preferably on a wire rack. This can be moved to a plate for serving, but as the name implies, it’s a “rustic” or casual pastry, and I like to bake it and serve it in a pizza pan.
NOTE: While still hot, combine ½ cup melted red currant jelly and 1 Tbs. Grand Mariner and pour over the top.
Plum Cake: Serves 8-From Landoll’s Creative Cooking Dessert
1 ½ cups stoned plum halves
¼ cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
salt
¼ cup milk
1tsp.vanilla
Garnish
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
Grease and flour a 9 inch square baking pan. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs beating until smooth. Mix flours, salt and baking powder; add alternately with milk to egg mix, beating well. Stir in vanilla. Pour into pan and arrange fruit over top. Combine garnish ingredients and scatter over the fruit. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 30 min. Cool in pan.
PEACHES
Peaches are stars of the season. Like apricots, their origin can be traced back about 3000 years to China. Nectarines are a smooth-skinned peach, and can be substituted for peaches in most recipes. Although peaches have many popular recipes, I wanted to present a different take on them in my post for Aug. 16, 2018. Those 8 recipes are geared to fit three requirements. First, they are easy to prepare in the heat of August needing little or no cooking. Second, they fit the current preference for casual, even rustic presentations. Third, they had to be ‘off the beaten track.’ I didn’t want a repetition of the usual shortcakes, pies and mousse.
The familiar recipes below are new twists on the old standards being made with raw fruit. There are a couple of tips about peaches which will make working with them simpler. Peeling them is a breeze. Just dip them in boiling water for about 10-15 sec., run them under cold water and the skin peels off like a tomato. If they could stand a bit of softening, leave them in the water a minute or two.
I love peaches grilled. They caramelize and get a depth of flavor that really carries a dish. There are many recipes featuring roasted peaches but to simply perk their flavor to use in another dish, place the halves, cut side up, in a baking dish with a bit of water in the bottom and bake in a 425 deg. oven until desired doneness or for 20 min. for fully roasted. They substitute in most recipes and peeling is optional.
PEACHES
Broiled, Grilled or Roasted Peaches or Nectarines
Peaches and nectarines are the favored stone fruits to withstand intense heat without the support of pastry or a pan. Simply halve and pit them, place them on a baking sheet in the oven or directly on the grill and cook them until the juices bubble and the cut edges begin to char. Grilling time depends on the size of the fruit and degree of heat. Roasting is done at 400 deg. for 20 min.
They can be served directly with meat but as a dessert I like to let them marinate a few minutes in a complimentary liqueur or liquor, Peach Brandy, Triple Sec, spiced rum etc., until they form a bit of sauce and then serve them with the sauce and meringues, ice cream or whipped cream.
Serving Suggestions:
1) Top with a scoop of ice cream-try peach. Make a hole in the center with the handle of a wooden spoon and fill cavity with peach liqueur.
2) Top with berries and whipped cream
3) Top with honey or maple syrup
4) Peach Melba-top with vanilla ice cream, place a meringue on either side and spoon over raspberry sauce.
Fresh Peach Meringue Pie: Serves 6-8
4-5 cups peeled, sliced peaches
Pastry for a 1 crust 9 inch pie
2 Tbs. peach or all fruit jam
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
Few drops vinegar
Line pie plate and bake crust until golden. Cool and spread jam over the bottom, then fill with the peaches. Beat the whites until peaks form, add a few drops of vinegar, beat in and continue beating while adding sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the top of the pie, being sure to cover right up to the crust edging. Decoratively swirl the top with a spoon and run the pie under a hot broiler until golden on top, about 2-3 min. Store several hours at room temperature, chill leftovers.
ALL FRUITS
The following 4 recipes are crowd pleasers, easy to make and open to virtually any fruit, but especially god with stone fruits. So make it easy on yourself and score a hit with dessert.
Fruit Crisp: Serves 6
9 ripe peach sized fruits sliced, peaches if using peeled
½ cup softened butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
Place fruit in a greased 9 inch baking pan. Sift last 4 ingredients and work in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the peaches and bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven 45-50 min. Serve warm or room temp with ice cream or a whipped topping
Angel Nest: Serves 4
Add 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. cornstarch to just 3 egg whites per cup of sugar. Shape them on an 8 inch round template, using the back of a fork to raise the sides into nests. Bake at 250 degrees for 60 min. Leave in oven for 30 min. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a dry place until ready to use, up to a week. Fill centers with fresh fruit and serve with whipped cream, or topping, on the side. I would imagine these can be made in individual portions, and would be most attractive. Judging by the timing to cook basic meringues, I don’t think there would be much adjustment to the directions either. Something you might want to try.
Fruit Pizza: Serves 8-10
Make dough as instructed above, increasing sugar to ½ cup and shortening to 2/3 cup.
If buying; purchase a roll of sugar cookie dough, not pie dough. Roll dough to fit a pizza pan, prick several times with a fork and bake as for cookies, 350 degrees for 10 to 12 min. until lightly browned, or as directions on package state.
Cool completely in pan.
Decoratively arrange raw fruit over the crust. The amount you will need depends on the chosen fruit, roughly about 1 ½ lbs. For July 4th use a combination of strawberries and blueberries. Top with a glaze made from a clear jelly, apple or current, melted with 1 Tbs. water per ¼ cup jelly. For a thicker glaze dissolve ¼ tsp. cornstarch in 1 Tbs. water per ½ cup jelly, which is the amount I use for one of these. Boil until clear and spoon over the fruit. Chill until completely set. Serve in wedges and optionally pass whipped cream, or ice cream.
Wonton Fruit Cups: Serves 12
24 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup fruit preserves—flavor complimentary to fruit filling
1 cup lemon yogurt or instant pudding-pie filling, flavor optional
1 ½ cups diced fruit
Line a 12 cup or (2) 6 cup muffin pans with a wonton wrapper. Brush with ½ the butter. Place a second wrapper diagonally across the first and brush with remaining butter. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 10 min. or until golden. Remove and cool. Spread 1 tsp. fruit preserves in each cup. Fold yogurt or pudding with 1 cup fruit and spoon into cups. Garnish with remaining fruit.
Fruit Crisp: Serves 6-8
4-5 cups sliced peaches or nectarines, halved apricots, quartered plums
½ cup melted butter
¾-1 ¼ cups white or light brown sugar-depending on sweetness of fruit
¾ cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon or ½ tsp. nutmeg or allspice—depending on choice of fruit
Few drops lemon juice
Place the fruit in an ovenproof bowl or pan the size of a 9 inch pie plate and sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir all the other ingredients into the butter and scatter over the fruit. Bake in a preheated 400deg.oven about 30-40 min. until fruit is done. Cool on a rack and serve spooned into bowls topped with ice cream or whipped topping.
