Enjoy The Stone Fruits Of August
All fruits have a season, but in late summer, stone fruits, peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots and cherries RULE!. Perhaps the appeal is that they aren’t readily available all year, as many other items are, perhaps it’s the sunny colors of meat and skin. I think it’s the tangy taste and sweet juice but without doubt in August they’re irresistible.
I’ve always liked to know where my food comes from, not just the immediate past of the product I’m buying, but the history of the item. When I looked into stone fruits, I found some interesting facts. They are one of the oldest foods known to man, as proven by a preserved apricot pit in Armenia, or Mesopotamia as it was then known, their region of origin, which dates from 6000 B.C. Amazingly, apricots today are almost unaltered from the ancient ones.
Peaches are native to China, where they have been cultivated since 2000 B.C. and that country is still the world’s largest producer. However, their popularity is credited to Persia (Iran) from which they spread to the West. Peaches too, are similar to their ancestors. They exist in three varieties, with only minor genetic differences, the cling, the freestone and the nectarine. This last fruit, though categorized as separate for commercial reasons, is really a smooth-skinned peach.
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.
Cherries like plums have a wide indigenous region which includes North Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe since prehistoric times. However, their modern history begins with a mention of an introduction to Rome via Armenia in 72 B.C. Basically, they come in three verities, sour for baking, sweet for eating raw, and the white or Royal or Queen Ann, which can be used for both. The white are also the chosen verity for dying to candy and marinating to create
the decorative Maraschinos.
I’ve gone into this history lesson, because, as I said, I’m interested in where my food comes from, from its origins down to the items I’m bagging in the store. An arresting fact about stone fruit in this time of contention about GMOs is its purity as a group. There may have been
grafting within a species, to improve the taste, or increase the size of the fruit, but genetically they remain fairly pure. There has been no introduction of alien genes to produce super powers of growth and resistance, nor have there have been attempts to create new types of a fruit, the miniature peach or the gigantic cherry. They all remain very much in their natural forms, the variations result naturally from being grown in different climates and soils. It’s comforting to think our ancestors would recognize these fruits and bit into them with as much enjoyment as we do today.
Before I add this week’s recipes, here are a few quick tips.
1 The stems on cherries help to preserve them. Leave them on until ready to use. The DIY way to remove pits is to make a small slit in the bottom, insert a drinking straw and push the pit through the stem end.
2 To peel peaches, dip them in boiling water for about 30 seconds and the peel comes off as it does with tomatoes.
3 Nectarines can be used in any peach recipe and don’t need peeling.
4 Broil or grill peaches with a bit of cinnamon to serve with poultry
5 Cooked recipes are great uses for under or over ripe fruit
Roasted Peaches: Last year I really fell for Roasted Peaches
1 Ripe peach pealed – large is best
1 Tbs. granulated sugar per peach –less if fruit is small
1 Tbs. melted butter per peach – less if fruit is small
Peal peaches as you would tomatoes, by dipping in boiling water for a minute, then pulling the skin off with a paring knife and pit them. Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and either slice them or leave in halves. Drizzle each peach with 1 Tbs. butter and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. sugar. Roast in a preheated 400 deg. oven for about 29 min until turning a bit golden. Serve as a dessert topping. Can also be frozen in plastic containers- allow to thaw at room temperature before using. Use as is, as toppings, tart fillings, for short-cakes or to layer cakes.
Peach Melba Serves 2
1 roasted peach
2 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 cup fresh raspberries or ½ cup frozen thawed or ¼ cup Melba syrup
Marinate fresh fruit in a bit of sugar, sweeten frozen if needed. Berries can be pushed through a sieve to reduce seeds. Place one peach halve in each dessert dish, cut side up and fill halves with ice cream. Drizzle with syrup and top with whipped cream if desired. For traditional recipe, place a small meringue on either side of ice cream.
MERINGUES
4 egg whites
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 drips cider vinegar
Beat egg whites at room temperature until soft peaks form, add salt and vinegar and beat to incorporate, likewise with vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Drop by spoonfulls on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet (size of spoon will determine size of meringue) and bake in a preheated 250 deg. oven for 1 hr. until firm on top. Cool on a wire rack, remove from paper and store in an air-tight container. Keep for weeks.
ANGLE NEST:
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.
Peach Kuchen Serves 12 – An excellent party dessert for a warm day. It’s served at room temperature and isn’t affected by heat
1¾ cups. flour 4-5 cups sliced peaches
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder *Meringue*
½ tsp. salt 4 egg whites
½ cup butter ¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup chopped nuts ¾ cup sugar
2 egg yolks beaten lightly 1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks 3-4 drips cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
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Stir together the first 3 dry ingredients in column I. Cut in butter. Stir in nuts and 2 egg yolks until well mixed. Press into the bottoms of a.9x12inch pan. Beat other egg yolks well, stir in next 2 ingredients, add peaches. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45mins. Remove from oven, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, have made *Meringue* by beating room temperature egg whites until soft peaks form, add vinegar and beat to incorporate, likewise with vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Spread Meringue over fruit, return to oven and bake until delicately brown-about 10 min. Serve at room temperature.
Fruit Mousse: Serves 8-10
1 pt. fruit in large chunks
1 ½ cups whipping cream
(1) 8 oz. container whipped topping
½ envelope Knox gelatin
¼ cup water +
Confectioners’ sugar to taste
Place the fruit pieces in a bowl with at least 1 Tbs. of the sugar and allow juices to collect. Soak gelatin in the ¼ cup water. Measure fruit juice in bowl and add enough water to make ¼ cup if
needed. Add to softened gelatin and microwave 30 sec. at a time, stirring, until dissolved. Whip cream to stiff peaks. Add whipped topping, then gelatin, then fruit and sweeten to taste. Pour into a decorative mold, refrigerate until set and then freeze covered. Unmold by placing in a bowl of hot water and running a knife around the edge until loosened. Invert onto a plate. (Note: 2 Tbs. chopped lemon balm mixed in adds zip) The whipped topping replaces the original raw egg whites in this recipe for health safety.
Fruit Rustica Serves 8-10
The French call this a Galette, the British a Rustic Tart. Both seem so fancy. I like the simple Italian, Rustica, because it is pie baking at its most basic, and possibly the first way pies were made. Whatever they’re called, they’re enjoying a new popularity, but all the recipes are really the same, because in its simplicity, it is perfection. It can be made from 1 ½ lbs. of any large pie
fruit. Peaches need to be peeled, pitted, and sliced lengthwise, while apricots and plums, which are my favorite, need only be pitted and halved. So depending what’s available, the choice is yours, as is the option of adding a small amount of dried fruit to prick the flavor, raisons, craisins, cherries etc.
Requirements: A bowl, parchment paper or foil, a cookie sheet and a rolling pin.
For Crust- * (Option –purchase a refrigerated pie crust)
1¼ cups flour
½ cup shortening – – this can be Crisco, butter or margarine
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon –optional
4 Tbs. ICE water
For Filling-
1 ½ lbs. fruit prepared as directed above
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup sugar + 2 tsp.
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. butter
1 egg white OR ¼ cup milk
¼ cup dried fruit – (optional) plumped in ½ cup water in the microwave in high for 30 sec. and drained.
*Option—To use a refrigerated pie crust, dust with powdered sugar and roll to 12” round. If rolling is not required, dust with 1 Tbs. powdered sugar and ¼ tsp. cinnamon, before adding fruit.
For crust—Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Using the blades of two knives, mix cut cubes of the shortening into the dry ingredients until clumps are the size of small peas, or use your fingers to blend the mix until it resembles gravel. Add ice water 3 Tbs. at first and then the 4th, if needed, turning constantly with your hands, until dough can form a ball. It should be as moist as modeling clay, but the less handling the flakier the crust. Chill wrapped in plastic, or simply put the bowl in the fridge while you do the rest. When ready, roll on a floured board to a
12” round, transfer to a parchment or foil covered cookie sheet Pile fruit, tossed with other ingredients, in the center, fold edges up around to enclose with an open top. Sprinkle with sugar.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, bake 10min. then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until golden and bubbly.
FRUIT PIZZA:
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.
Raw fruit is decoratively arranged over the crust, so the amount you will need depends on the chosen fruit, roughly about 1 ½ lbs. My favorites are a combination of strawberries and blueberries, kiwi and peach slices work too, as well as many others. Optionally use other small fruits or berries as highlights.
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. Optionally pass whipped cream.
SUMMER PUDDINGS are a very old-fashioned seasonal dessert. Still popular in England these “puddings” are famous for holding up well in hot weather. They’re economical too, because they’re perfect for using up leftover fruit and older bread.
Choose a sturdy 1 ½ quart bowl – then you will need:
1) 6 or more ½ inch slices of French or Italian bread, crusts removed-enough to well line the bowl, plus to cover the top. If bread is fresh, dry it in a warm oven until firm, but several days old is fine
2) 3 cups frozen or fresh MIXED berries- strawberries, blueberries, blackberries raspberries or very ripe, juicy stone fruit—plums add color
3) ½ to ¾ cup sugar-depending on natural sweetness of fruit
4) 1tsp. Balsamic vinegar – optional
5) ¼ cup or more water orange or apple juice as needed
Line the bowl with bread, trim and reserve overhangs. Combine sugar and fruit in a pan. Bring to a simmer and cook about 5 min. until juices flow. If using frozen fruit, this will take about 10 min. Cool and ladle the fruit into the bowl, reserving some of the juice. Cover the fruit with the extra pieces of bread, then, first placing plastic wrap over it, cover the bowl with a plate which fits the top. Weight the plate down with a can or other suitable object, and chill the pudding overnight. Uncover and unmold by inverting onto a plate, Serve with reserved juices, optionally thickened, alone or mixed with cream. Optionally offer whipped cream.
I realize that there are, literally, hundreds of wonderful desserts suitable for serving in summer. These are but a few examples of ways to present one class of fruits, but they are guaranteed to make things easier. All taste great, and several hold up well in hot weather. However, whether eating raw or prepared in a recipe, please, please take advantage of stone fruit’s short season and enjoy them while they’re here.
