Just Peachy

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATALIE FINDLAY

Is there any other fruit that ignites the feeling of summer than a bite into a freshly picked, warm, ripened-from-the-sun, juice-drippingdown-your-chin, sweet peach?

There are three groups of peaches: freestone (flesh easily removed from pit), semi-clingstone, and clingstone (flesh clings to pit).

Peaches will continue to ripen after they have been picked, so if you find some that are too firm, let them sit out for a few days. The sweet smell and slightly soft feel of their flesh when pressed will let you know they are ripe.

Peach season does not last long, enjoy as many as you can during July and August.

Peach Blackberry Thyme Galette

Peach Blackberry Thyme Galette

Makes 1 Galette

Dough

1/3 cup (80 mL) water 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup almond flour ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour ½ tsp salt 1 tsp thyme ¾ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 5cm slices 3 Tbs (45 mL) buttermilk 3-6 Tbs ice water

Filling

3 cups peaches, sliced 1 cup blackberries ½ cup brown sugar ½ tsp thyme Pinch salt 1½ Tbs cornstarch 1 Tbs (15 mL) heavy cream 1/3 cup castor sugar 1 Tbs slivered almonds Drizzle of honey or vanilla ice cream, for garnish

Peach Blackberry Thyme Galette

1. Add 1/3 cup of water to a small bowl and put it in the freezer to chill. 2. Add the flours, salt, and thyme to a large bowl, and stir to combine. Add the butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles lots of almond size butter chunks. 3. Stir the buttermilk and ice water together and drizzle over the flour mixture and stir. Keep combining until the dough just holds together when you give it a squeeze and there are no more dry, floury bits. Drizzle in more ice water as needed. 4. Turn the dough out onto the counter. Gently press into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill 45 minutes. 5. Cut peaches into slices. In a medium bowl, add peach slices, blackberries, sugar, thyme, salt, and cornstarch and stir to combine. Let sit while the dough chills. 6. Remove the dough from the fridge. Unwrap. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll out dough to 15 cm diameter. 7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently ease dough unto parchment. Place fruit mixture on the dough leaving approximately 7 cm rim without fruit. 8. Fold the dough rim over the fruit. Put in freezer for 20 minutes. 9. Preheat oven to 450º F. Remove dough from freezer. Brush the rim with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar and slivered almonds. Place in the oven. Turn down heat to 375º F and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

Roast Chicken with a Sticky Peach Glaze

Roast Chicken with a Sticky Peach Glaze

Serves 4

4 pieces chicken 1½ tsp ground rosemary 1 tsp garlic powder 2 cm ginger, grated 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 3 Tbs rice flour 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil 1 small onion, diced 1 cup (250 mL) beer ½ cup (125 mL) chicken stock 2 Tbs (30 mL) maple syrup 3 peaches, cut in quarters

1. Season chicken with rosemary, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. 2. Coat with rice flour. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides. 3. Add onion, beer, stock, maple syrup, and peaches. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook chicken 20 - 25 minutes or until fully cooked. 4. To thicken sauce, remove cover and increase heat and let juices reduce until desired consistency. Or add ½ Tbs cornstarch to 2 Tbs (30 mL) cold water in a small bowl. Stir to combine and add to centre of pan and stir into juices. Cook for 1 minute. Prosciutto and Peach Salad

Serves 2

Croutons

3 cups sourdough bread ½ tsp garlic powder 2 Tbs (30 mL) olive oil To Taste sea salt and pepper

Salad

3 peaches ½ small red onion, thinly sliced 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half ½ cup blueberries 1 Tbs mint, thinly sliced 1 Tbs basil, thinly sliced Drizzle olive oil and lime juice, for finishing 6 slices prosciutto ½ lime, zested

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. 2. Cut or tear off pieces of sourdough bread and place in a medium bowl. Add garlic powder, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper to bread and stir to coat. 3. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until croutons are browned. 4. Preheat grill to 500º F. 5. Cut peaches in half and remove the stones, coat in oil. 6. Place peaches on barbecue. Cook for 5 minutes, turn, cook another 4 minutes. Remove. 7. In a medium bowl, add red onion, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, mint, basil, croutons, and peaches when cooked. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice and gently stir to combine.

Prosciutto and Peach Salad

8. Pour out half the salad on each plate. Tuck in 3 slices of Prosciutto. Sprinkle with lime zest.

Note: you can also add arugula or lettuce to this salad.

Peach Bellini

Makes 2 Bellinis

2 peaches, pitted ½ tsp lemon juice 1 tsp (5 mL) grenadine For topping prosecco

1. In a blender, puree peaches until smooth. 2. Add lemon juice and grenadine. Pour into glasses. 3. Top with prosecco. Garnish with a slice of peach.

Peach Bellini

Natalie is a freelance writer, photographer, and pastry chef. A graduate of Cordon Bleu’s pastry program, she manages her own business too to create custom-made cakes.