My favorite summer fruit is in full swing this season due to all the water from melted snow and lots of sunshine.
Before I moved from California to the Midwest, I had a peach tree in my yard that bore an abundant amount of the luscious fruit. I enjoyed making peach preserves and baking peach pies and crisps.
Now I get my peaches from a Michigan grower who comes to our local farmer’s market in the Ravinia area of Highland Park. My neighbor and I enjoy walking the few blocks to the market every Wednesday morning, loading our satchels with goodies and discussing how we will prepare the bounty on the way home.
Look for well-colored fruit that is heavy for its size and free of bruises. Most farmers will give you a sample taste if you ask nicely. Often, even tree-ripened peaches will need a few days in a brown paper bag to fully ripen. Then, they may be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to four days. Mine don’t last that long as I love them cut up on my granola for breakfast or tossed with grapes or berries. But mostly I eat them out of hand standing over my kitchen sink every day they are in season.
The easiest way to peel the peaches for the following recipe is first to lower them into a big pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water for at least 1 minute. The skins will then easily slip off.
Cinnamon Peach Crisp
Serves 6
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 2 to 2-1/2 pounds (6 large) ripe peaches, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted
- Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon; mix well. Add peaches; toss well and let stand while making the topping.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans.
4. Spoon peaches with their juices into a shallow 1-1/2 quart casserole or 8-inch square glass baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over peaches. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly and topping is golden brown.
5. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream if desired.
Eat a peach….it’s a hell of a fruit. —Mel Brooks
Karen Levin is a freelance recipe developer living in Highland Park with her husband of thirty-six years.
