Peachy French Toast, Salad and Pie

8/26/15 Cook's Corner

Betty Kaiser

“An apple is an excellent thing — until you have tried a peach.”
George du Maurier

 

My husband loves to garden. In return, we are rewarded with copious amounts of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, rhubarb, cucs, tomatoes, zucchini and more! Apples and pears do well in his orchard but stone fruit trees do not. So, he finally gave up trying to grow two of my favorite summer fruits— peaches and nectarines. Boo-hoo.

The sweet, juicy taste of fresh peaches just can’t be beat and the golden tart flesh of nectarines runs a close second. I do a lot of canning to capture their sunshine. It brightens up dreary winter meals but fresh is best.  And I’m always looking for ways to eat them without heating or cooking them and ruining their aroma and texture.

Fresh sliced peaches always take me back to my childhood. As a youngster, I remember mother would scramble up eggs for us three kids while I toasted and buttered the bread for our breakfast. Then, our summertime special treat would be—lightly sugared sliced peaches drenched in rich cream. Wonderful!

Meals were so simple in those days. Today, everything has a complicated recipe. It’s no wonder that people think they don’t have time to cook. But sliced fruit of any kind is simple and so are today’s peachy recipes. Their ingredient list may look a little daunting but trust me; you probably already have everything in your cupboard or frig.

It you buy ripe Sun Crest or Red Haven peaches they practically peel themselves. If not, a quick 30 seconds in boiling water and the skins will pop right off. And if the peaches are semi-cling, you can slice them right around the pit. The fruit should be slightly firm so that it doesn’t turn to mush with your first cut. Easy-peasy.

 Today’s recipes are variations from several sources. Recipe number one would make a wonderful breakfast or brunch dish. I mean, who else would serve a French toast with fresh peach/nectarine compote? The French toast recipe calls for 5 eggs in the batter. It seemed like a lot of eggs for only 1/2 cup of milk. I suggest that you add more milk.

Recipe number two is for a green salad to be used as a luncheon or dinner side dish. I often add fruit to a boring green salad—everything from naval orange slices to dried cranberries. If you chose to serve this salad for lunch I would pair it with some cottage cheese (protein) and a slice of zucchini bread to create balance and texture.

Our final recipe is for a humble peach and blueberry crumble. Served warm and topped with ice cream, it is a summer tradition. And if you have lots of peaches, I suggest that you make several batches of filling, pour them into an 8X8-inch Pyrex baking pan, cover tightly, label and freeze! This winter you can top it with your choice of crust, bake and enjoy a taste of summer. Enjoy!

FRENCH TOAST with PEACH/NECTARINE COMPOTE

COMPOTE

2 cups sliced peaches

2 cups sliced nectarines

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Batter for 8 1/2-inch-thick slices egg (or French) bread slices

5 large eggs

1/2-1 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Butter

Optional: Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Combine peaches and nectarines, brown sugar, 1/4 cup water, cinnamon and nutmeg in heavy medium saucepan. Cook compote over medium heat until liquid is reduced to medium-thick syrup, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla in large glass baking dish until well blended. Arrange bread slices in egg mixture. Let stand until egg mixture is absorbed, turning once, about 1 minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 4 bread slices to skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with additional tablespoons butter and 4 bread slices. Serve with fruit compote and maple syrup.

PEACH SALAD with WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

Dressing Ingredients

4 tablespoons walnut oil (or whatever you have on hand)

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon honey

Salad Ingredients

 Leaves of red butter lettuce

3-4 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced

1 tablespoon minced red onion

2 tablespoons slivered walnuts, toasted

(Note: candied walnuts are great!)

Directions

1. Whisk all ingredients together vinegar until emulsified. Set the dressing aside.

2. Arrange the butter lettuce on a chilled serving plate. Arrange the peach slices on the lettuce. Sprinkle with onions and walnuts. Spoon the dressing over the salad just before serving. Serves 4.

PEACH BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE

4 cups peaches, peeled, sliced

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups blueberries

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour (whole wheat is good)

1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick butter, softened but not melted

Nuts: Your choice chopped walnuts or sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In an 8-inch square (1 1/2-quart) baking dish, combine peaches and lemon juice; toss gently. Stir in blueberries, 3 T flour, sugar and almond exract; toss with peaches.

In a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients except butter with fork or pastry blender; cut in butter until crumbly. Add nuts and sprinkle over fruit.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with vanilla ice cream or thawed frozen whipped topping. Serves 6.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.