Cooking Cove: Some peachy recipes for summer’s favorite fruit

By Barbara Beltrami

When T. S. Eliot had J. Alfred Prufrock ask, “Do I dare to eat a peach?,” it was most probably with the understanding that eating a ripe peach is a messy business and not for those who are impeccably dressed and cannot afford to have peach juice running down their chins. Biting into a rosy-skinned peach is, for me, the long-awaited reminder that summer is around the corner. And once I’ve gotten over that, slicing a peach into a bowl, dusting it with just a little sugar and dousing it with cream is next on my list. From there, as peaches consistently dominate the fruit bowl on my kitchen table, I get really cavalier and grill them with pork chops or make a peach pie for dessert. And on a hot day, a peach cooler is heavenly.

Grilled Pork Chops and Peaches

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Six 3/4” thick pork chops, trimmed

6 fresh peaches, pitted and halved

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS: 

Prepare grill to high heat; place large cast iron skillet on grill, allow to get very hot, then reduce heat to medium. While grill and skillet are heating, in a small bowl combine the garlic, rosemary, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper to form a paste; smear paste on both sides of pork chops. Brush skillet with remaining olive oil and allow to heat until oil shimmers. Place chops in skillet and cook until nice and brown, about 8 to 10 minutes; add peaches, cut side down, brush them with butter and cook until they are charred, about 5 minutes; remove them and set aside to keep warm. Turn chops and cook in butter from peaches another 5 minutes until brown on both sides but still juicy. Place on platter and serve with the peaches,  rice and a leafy green vegetable.

Peach Pie

YIELD: Makes one pie

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 cup ice water

5 cups peeled sliced fresh ripe peaches

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

DIRECTIONS: 

Place first three ingredients in bowl of electric food processor fitted with steel blade and pulse a few times until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually drizzle ice water over mixture and continue to pulse until dough pulls together into a rough ball.  Remove and place on floured board, form into a ball and roll around until coated with flour; divide dough in half to form two balls, coat again with flour, then press into 5 to 6” discs; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. 

Meanwhile make the filling: In a large bowl combine peaches, lemon juice, sugar and quarter cup of flour; set aside. When ready to roll out dough, preheat oven to 425 F. Remove dough from fridge, unwrap, coat again with flour, then roll out; place in a 9” pie dish which has been set on a rimmed cookie sheet; add peach mixture, and roll out second disc and place over peaches. Trim and pinch edges of pastry together, make a few slits in top crust and bake for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 375 F and bake 45 minutes to one hour, until crust is golden. Serve with peach or vanilla ice cream.

Peach Cooler

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks

Freshly squeezed juice from 3 limes

2 cups unamended iced tea

1/4 cup sugar or to taste

2 cups sparkling water

One peach, cut into 6 to 8 slices for garnish

6 to 8 sprigs mint for garnish

DIRECTIONS: 

In bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade puree peaches with lime juice and sugar. Place ice cubes in 6 to 8 ounce glasses, pour in 2 to 3 ounces tea and 2 to 3 ounces sparkling water; with long-handled spoon stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons peach puree. Garnish with peach slice and mint. Serve with biscotti.