Dear friends,
I’ve been busy. You probably have been, too. This is the last gasp of summer, when we do everything we’ve put off in June and July— see friends, take one-tank trips, visit family. I did all of that plus squeezed in a mini high school reunion. Cooking was involved. I’m exhausted.
I’m not ready to let go of summer, though. I’m still eating corn on the cob like mad and making the most of the tail-end of Ohio peaches. Thanks to your emails, I had plenty of peach recipes from which to choose.
I haven’t gotten to all of them, but the one I made — a cobbler with a crackly hot sugar crust — was easy and delicious. The recipe is in the Mailbag section of this newsletter.
The cobbler was long gone by the time my mini high school class reunion rolled around. It was a picnic potluck in my hometown of East Liverpool. I needed a dish that would travel well. With the fridge still loaded with peaches, I settled on a slab pie. That’s a giant pie baked not in a pie pan but in a rimmed sheet pan.
I couldn’t find a recipe for the pie I had in mind, so I jiggled recipes and switched ingredients until I got it right. I ended up with a 10-by-15-inch peach pie with a tender, thick-ish crust and a streusel topping. The crust was thick in order to stand up to all the cutting necessary to produce single-serve squares.
You can use your favorite dough recipe for a double-crust pie. I used Ina Garten’s food processor pie dough recipe (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-pie-crust-recipe-1919026), a current favorite.
Even when a recipe says otherwise, I always bake my pie crusts at least slightly — 5 to 10 minutes — before adding the filling. Before baking, I brush the bottom with an egg wash (an egg briefly beaten with a tablespoon of water). This helps prevent a soggy bottom crust, especially if the pie must be held overnight. And remember, if you chill the pie shell before this initial brief bake, you don’t have to mess with lining and weighting the dough to prevent bubbles.
PEACH STREUSEL SLAB PIE
Crust:
Dough for a double-crust pie
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Filling:
12 large peaches
1 cup packed brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
6 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Topping:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. butter, melted
For the crust:
Roll the dough to a rectangle large enough to fit in the bottom and up the sides of a 10-by-15-inch sheet pan. Ease the dough into the pan and up the sides. Trim and crimp the edges. Pierce the pie shell at 3-inch intervals with a fork. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the filling. Then brush the bottom of the shell with the egg mixture. Bake on lower-middle oven rack at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes, until egg mixture is dry. Set aside.
For the filling:
Meanwhile, peel peaches with a sharp vegetable peeler. Cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices, discarding the pits. Place in a bowl with remaining filling ingredients and gently toss to distribute evenly. Spread evenly over pie shell.
For the topping:
Combine flour, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter while stirring with a fork. Stir very well. Spoon evenly over peach filling.
Bake the sheet pie on the lower middle oven rack at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 and continue to bake for 1 hour, or until peaches are soft and juices are thick and bubbly. Makes about 18 servings.
TIDBIT
Where have I been not to know about bloodsugardown.com? Retired Beacon Journal reporter and restaurant critic Kathryn Spitz writes the blog for those who, like her, are pre-diabetic. That includes my husband and many others of a certain age.
Kathy writes in an accessible way about strategies to keep blood sugar in check with easy recipes and product recommendations. Eating this way is recommended not just for diabetics, of course. The diabetic “diet” is the way most of us should eat for good health.
My favorite part of Kathy’s blog is FoodFinds, where she writes about great products she has found such as Crofter’s fruit spread, Donato’s cauliflower-crust pizza and Nourish Bowls from the supermarket.
The “Struggle” section is packed with information, too. Have you ever wondered whether the barista or waitress poured a “regular” instead of the diet or sugar-free drink you ordered? I have. So has Kathy and her article is illuminating.
Kathy updates her blog weekly. It may be accessed via her website, where you can subscribe for email updates.
GUT CHECK
What I cooked:
Grilled hamburgers and shishito peppers; peach cobbler with hot sugar crust; sheet pan roast chicken and bell peppers; Thai beef salad with mint and cilantro; eggplant lasagne with meat sauce; sheet pan kielbasas and green beans with garlic; pan-grilled pork pinwheels stuffed with sausage, fried sage, steamed corn on the cob and sliced tomatoes with pesto; sheet pan ratatouille; chicken korma with basmati rice; potato salad with smoked corn mayo and a sheet pan peach pie for my class reunion picnic; cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto; chile rellenos quiche; Dublin coddle and sliced heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, sea salt, shredded basil and pesto vinaigrette.
What I ate out/carried out:
Shredded beef, beans, cheese and salsa over tortilla chips (Dori Locos) at La Fresa on Canton Road in Akron; New York-style pepperoni pizza (several) from Big Star in Copley; oysters on the half shell and garlic-butter steamed mussels and shrimp with corn on the cob, redskin potatoes and sausage at King Crab in Akron; spicy crab salad (yuck) and a spring roll at Otani Noodles in Cleveland; pork and steak tacos from Casa del Rio Express in Fairlawn; Greek burger with fries at Alexandri’s in Wadsworth; turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes at Bob Evans; pulled pork, smoked brisket, corn muffins, baked beans and mango slaw from Millstone Southern Smoked BBQ in Logan, Ohio; roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing and a roll at Olde Dutch Restaurant in Logan.
THE MAILBAG
Thanks to all who sent peach recipes. I’m especially thrilled to have two from Splendid Fare caterer Susan Parish-Schwab. When she says a recipe is good, you can take it to the bank.
Martha K.’s peach-aperol spritzer sounds refreshing, and I intend to try Pat Swarts’s original recipe for peach chutney, which should be a fine addition to the Thanksgiving table.
From Susan Parrish-Schwab:
I am sending along some of my favorite peach recipes. Enjoy!
SUSAN’S SUMMER SHRIMP SEVICHE
Peach Chipotle sauce:
Puree fresh peaches, peach nectar, ground chipotle to taste with a touch of lime juice.
Dice cucumber and celery and place in the bottom of a martini glass, top with three jumbo poached shrimp, peach sauce, and scallion threads.
Garnish with a celery leaf sprig, a bamboo sword pick through one of the shrimp and a dusting of smoked sea salt.
WHITE PEACH SANGRIA
2 peaches, sliced and peeled
¾ cup peach schnapps
1 bottle chilled moscato (or pink zinfandel)
1 liter chilled sparkling peach or plain seltzer water
Slice peaches and marinate overnight in schnapps. Add moscato and seltzer the next day.
From Martha K.:
More peach recipes!
PEACH-APEROL SPRITZ
(from Bon Appetit)
1 lb. ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into wedges, or frozen, thawed sliced peaches
2 oz. Aperol
½ oz. Averna amaro
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 750-ml bottle chilled sparkling rosé
Muddle peaches in a large pitcher to crush lightly. Add Aperol, Averna, lemon slices and orange slices. Pour in rosé and stir gently to combine. Pour into glasses to serve.
From Pat Swarts:
I’m answering your call for peach recipes! I grew up in California and my dad’s pride and joy was his prolific peach tree. Anything with peaches reminds me of him and the wonderful things my mom would make with oodles of peaches.
Attached are three recipes you might want to try. The peach cobbler’s crackly crust takes it to a new level. The baked chicken recipe is delicious and different. (I cut the brown sugar to 1-2 tablespoons, finding that sweet peaches don’t need one-third cup.) Both recipes are from the Washington Post. And the chutney is my very own recipe. I freeze it in 8-ounce containers and it’s great with Thanksgiving turkey.
I also make grilled peaches (with vanilla ice cream), peach salsa, and a lettuce salad with sliced peaches, red onion, pecans, and bleu cheese. I’ll try your peach salad this week.
PEACH COBBLER WITH HOT SUGAR CRUST
10 large, ripe peaches (about 4 1/2 lbs.) pitted but not peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup hot water
Heavy cream, for serving
Heat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the center. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange the peaches in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan or gratin dish. Using a zester or
Microplane, zest about 2 teaspoons of lemon zest evenly over the fruit. Cut the lemon in
half and squeeze about 1/4 cup of lemon juice over the top.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups of
the sugar on medium speed until creamy but sandy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat on medium speed until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is evenly crumbly, about 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the milk. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Scoop the batter in about 6 large blobs over the peaches. With an offset spatula or
the back of a big spoon, carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit so it’s no more
than about 1/2 inch thick in any one place.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the batter. Drizzle the hot water evenly over
the sugar, using it to melt the sugar topping.
Set the pan on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake the cobbler at 350 degrees until the top is golden brown and cracked, 70 to 80 minutes. A toothpick stuck in the topping should come out clean or with just crumbs clinging—be sure to check in a few places.
Let the cobbler cool for about 30 minutes to firm up. Serve warm, scooping it into big
bowls and pouring a little heavy cream over the top.
BAKED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PEACHES
3 ripe peaches
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (without tenderloins, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
Kosher salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground mace or freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 lemon
Basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Have a large, shallow roasting pan at hand. Boil a
kettle of water. Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to cut a wide “X” at the bottom of each peach. Pour the boiling water into a deep heatproof bowl. Add the peaches and let them sit for about a minute; you should see the skins start to curl where you scored the fruit. Remove the peaches from the bowl, then carefully peel and discard the skins. As soon as the fruit is cool enough to handle, cut it in half, discard the pit and then cut each peach into about 8 equal slices.
Place the chicken breast halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; pound to an even
thickness of 1/2 inch, then season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Arrange them in the pan in a single layer, then it’s your choice: For a more fruit-forward
flavor, sprinkle the chicken with the brown sugar, ginger and mace or nutmeg, then top
each one with the sliced peaches. For a sweeter treatment, place the peaches directly on the chicken, then sprinkle the fruit with the brown sugar, ginger and mace or nutmeg.
Squeeze the lemon half’s juice evenly over each portion. Bake (middle rack) for 20
minutes, or until the center of the chicken registers 155 degrees on an instant-read
thermometer and is browned on top; the sugar and spices applied over the fruit will give
the dish a more browned look. There should be a fair amount of pan juices.
Coarsely chop the basil, if using, and scatter it over the chicken. Serve warm, with some of the pan juices. Makes 4 servings.
SPICY PEACH CHUTNEY
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. butter
2 cups peeled and roughly diced ripe peaches
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
3 to 4 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Dash ground cloves
Sauté onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy — about 25-30 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature. Great with chicken, turkey, pork, or salmon. Or serve with brie and crackers.
Makes 2 cups. Origin: Pat Swarts.
This can be frozen.
See Jane Cook 