Peaches, Peaches, Peaches
I have an abundance of fresh peaches this year. Do you have a GREAT recipe (please provide) that I could make to give as gifts, perhaps a jam or jelly or something interesting?
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I have an abundance of fresh peaches this year. Do you have a GREAT recipe (please provide) that I could make to give as gifts, perhaps a jam or jelly or something interesting?
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See, for example, these American and British versions, to get started.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mango-chutney-recipe.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mangochutney_1319
Or Google for Indian recipes, to get variations with different spicing, less sugar, etc.
4 lbs. peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut in chunks
5. c. sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. brandy
Combine. Let sit at room temperature 2 hours.
Bring to a boil. Simmer 20-30 min., or till peaches have softened.
Puree with immersion blender (or in batches with food processor).
Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat, stirring often to prevent sticking and burning, till reaches gel.
Ladle into sterilized containers, cool, cover, and freeze.
Makes about 8-10 half-pint containers.
for this recipe
Tomato-Peach Preserves
Southern Living AUGUST 2011
Try It With: Goat cheese crostini, grilled flank steak, or turkey burgers.
Makes about 3 cups
2¼ cups peeled and diced peaches (about ¼ lb.)
2¼ cups seeded and diced plum tomatoes
1½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (1.75-oz.) package powdered fruit pectin
1½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preparation
1. Stir together all ingredients except rosemary and pepper in a 4-qt. microwave-safe glass bowl.
2. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes (mixture will boil). Stir mixture, and microwave at HIGH 12 to 16 minutes or until thickened. (You're going for the viscosity of pancake syrup here. The mixture will thicken to soft-set preserves after it cools and chills.)
Stir rosemary and pepper into warm preserves. Cool mixture completely (about 2 hours).
Serve immediately, or cover and chill preserves in an airtight container until ready to serve. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
PEACH PEEL AND PIT JELLY
4 qts. peach peels and pits
1 pkg. powdered pectin
3 c. sugar
1 package powdered pectin and 3 cups sugar to each 3 cups juice.
Save peels and pits of peaches when canning. Barely cover them with water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Let stand overnight.
Strain juice through cheesecloth. Measure 3 cups juice into a large pan. Add 1 package pectin. Bring to vigorous boil.
Add 3 cups sugar and boil rapidly until it reaches "sheeting off" jelly test, 220 degrees. Skim off foam. Pour into hot jelly jars and seal.
3 pounds ripe yellow peaches (weight before peeling)
2½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 5-inch sprigs pineapple sage
1. Sterilize your jars and put 5 teaspoons on a plate in the freezer, to test your jam for doneness later.
2. Blanch the peaches by immersing them in a pot of boiling water for two minutes, then quickly transferring them to a bowl of ice water. (I like Julia’s trick for making this step easier: Use an ice pack instead of the loose stuff.)
3. Peel the peaches and roughly chop them into thick chunks.
4. In your jam pot, combine the peaches, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, then transfer the mixture into a glass or ceramic bowl. Gently stir in 3 of the pineapple sage sprigs and let it all sit in the fridge overnight. (Or prep in the morning and make your jam in the afternoon. Whatever suits you.)
5. After the mixture has macerated for 6-8 hours, remove the pineapple sage and pour the rest through a sieve into your jam pot. Now you have a pot full of wonderful sweet syrup. Set aside the peaches and bring the syrup to a boil. Cook until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the peaches and the remaining pineapple sage sprigs to the syrup and return the mixture to a boil. After about 10 minutes, pull the sage from the pot, then continue cooking the mixture on high heat until your jam reaches the setting point (see below). As the jam cooks, use a shallow, stainless-steel spoon to periodically skim any stiff white foam from the top of the mixture. It took fewer than 15 minutes for this jam to cook for me, but keep in mind that lots of factors affect cooking time. Watch your mixture and test it carefully.
To test your jam for doneness: Remove the pan from the heat. Use one of your frozen spoons to scoop up a little bit of jam — not a whole spoonful. Return the spoon to the freezer and wait 3 minutes. Retrieve the spoon and hold it vertically. If the mixture runs very slowly or not at all, it’s done. (“Not at all” may be overdone, in fact.) Give the mixture a little push with your finger. If it clearly creases or wrinkles up, it’s done.
7. Ladle the hot jam into your sterilized jars and seal. Process 10 minutes in a water-bath canner.
Yields about 4 half-pint jars — and you’re done!
4½ cups peaches, chopped
3 cups sugar
1 (1 3/4 ounce) box dry low-sugar pectin
2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Peel, put and chop peaches. Measure 4½ cups of chopped peaches.
2. Combine peaches, lemon juice, pectin and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring peach mixture to a boil.
3. Add remaining sugar. Boil hard for 1 minute.
4. Remove peaches from heat. Stir in cardamom and vanilla extract.
5. Ladle into sterilized jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 8 8-oz jars
6 cups finely chopped pitted peeled peaches (about 3 lb or 9 medium)
1 cup finely chopped seeded red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 large)
3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic (about 14 cloves)
1-1/4 cups honey
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens to the consistency of a thin commercial barbeque sauce, about 25 minutes.
Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Peach-Rosemary Jam
4 cups peeled and chopped fresh peaches or nectarines
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 rosemary sprigs
1 package powdered fruit pectin -- (1.75-ounce)
5 cups sugar
Bring first 5 ingredients to a full rolling boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sugar to peach mixture, and bring to a full rolling boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Remove and discard rosemary sprigs; skim off any foam.
Pour hot mixture immediately into sterilized jars, remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process in boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.
Yield: Makes 7 (1/2-pint) jars
"University Extension and Preserving Peaches"
University of Georgia Extension has great recipes
The Ball Complete Guide to Home Canning is also great
Colorado State University Extension has information on canning at high altitudes
Consider also freezing some of your peaches or canning peach pie filling
Also, for an idea of what to do with the peaches, seach this site, hotline, as someone else asked for ideas for her 80+ lbs of peaches about a week ago and you would probably appreciate the responses.