Peaches Galore!

Our “August Pride” peaches have ripened early - in July - and now we are inundated with supply.

They are super juicy and ready to be turned into something delicious (if we don’t just eat them as is).

While bird netting was added a month or so ago to keep rats and birds off the tree as the fruit ripened, it did little to prevent the bees from digging holes in the fruit now that they are ripening. So the last few days it’s been a mad scramble to get the fruit off the tree before they are all destroyed.

There are 2 gigantic bowls on the counter so needless to say, the rush is on to use them up, one way or another. Searching for peach recipes, I found a few that sounded wonderful.

Here’s the first one I made, compliments of my Silver Palate Cookbook:

Peach Cake

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp sweet butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. milk (or half and half)
3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a heavy 9-inch skillet with plenty of butter.
Cream butter and sugar until light. Add egg.
Sift dry ingredients together. Beat half into the creamed mixture, add half the milk. Repeat, beating well.
Pour batter into prepared skillet. Arrange peach slices on top of the batter and bake for 25 minutes.

Topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
4 Tbsp. sweet butter

Meanwhile, cut ingredients for the topping together in a small bowl with a fork. After cake has baked for 25 minutes, open oven and quickly crumble topping over the peaches. Close oven and bake another 8-10 minutes, or until cake is firm and has pulled away from the edges of the skillet. Serve warm, accompanied by a pitcher of heavy cream or some good quality vanilla ice cream.

Yields 8 portions

Grilled Shrimp with Peaches

I made this for dinner tonight. I liked it but would add a little more

spice to it next time.

I also grilled a few baby bell peppers on a separate skewer, made a small
green salad, and served the skewers over some brown rice.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound uncooked shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined
3 medium peaches, each cut into 8 wedges
8 green onions (light green and white portion only), cut into 2-inch pieces
Cooking spray
Lime wedges

Directions:

Mix brown sugar and seasonings and enough olive oil to create a paste. Place shrimp, peaches and green onions in a large bowl; rub on the paste. If you have time, marinate this for 30-60 minutes. On four or eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread shrimp, peaches and green onions. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 3-4 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink. Squeeze lime wedges over kabobs.

A couple of great ways to use up the peaches! I have so many more to go though! Tomorrow, Peach Salsa over Grilled Chicken.