[Photographs: Yasmin Fahr, Heather Meldrom, Autumn Giles, Lauren Weisenthal]
Stone fruit season is generally a pretty magical time, but a great peach is like the Holy Grail of stone fruits: plump, blushing gold, luxuriously sweet, and ridiculously juicy. This time of year, I'm most likely to enjoy a ripe peach straight out of hand—standing over the sink, with juice inevitably running all over my face (it's worth it). On the other hand, I also tend to get a bit carried away and buy a trunkload of them at the market, and one can only bathe in so much peach juice in a day. Luckily, there's more than one way to enjoy these summer masterpieces, and we've got a list of 17 entrées, desserts, sauces, and drinks that use the fruit in exceptional ways.
Dishes and Desserts
Grilled Shallot-Stuffed Peaches With Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing
[Photograph: Lauren Rothman]
Peaches provide a contrasting vehicle for savory fillings in this smoky, salty, and sweet summer appetizer. Grilling the peaches and caramelizing the shallots intensifies their sweetness, while bacon adds crisp meatiness under a creamy buttermilk dressing.
Get the recipe for Grilled Shallot-Stuffed Peaches With Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing »
Ginger Peach Bourbon Pie
[Photograph: Alexandra Penfold]
Peaches are a natural filling for pies, but this version adds welcome complexity by mixing fresh summer peaches, ginger, and bourbon between a butter bottom crust and a spiced crumble-oat top. The bourbon gives it a nice boozy kick that tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Get the recipe for Ginger Peach Bourbon Pie »
Blueberry Peach Jam
[Photograph: Emily Teel]
Combining two standout summer fruits—ripe peaches and plump blueberries—yields a beautiful sweet-tart purple jam. Peeling the peaches accounts for most of the labor, and a candy thermometer and boiling water canner make the jamming process nearly foolproof.
Get the recipe for Blueberry Peach Jam »
Pork Chops With Fresh Peaches and Basil
[Photograph: Yasmin Fahr]
The flavors of peaches and pork chops pair happily in this one-pot meal. Juices from both form the base of a rich peach sauce for pan-seared pork; add spinach to wilt naturally underneath, and it's all ready in 20 minutes flat.
Get the recipe for Pork Chops With Fresh Peaches and Basil »
Whiskey Peach Sauce
[Photograph: Lucy Baker]
The genius of this simple sauce is that it's totally customizable—swap out some of the peaches for other stone fruits, or use dark rum or peach schnapps instead of whiskey. No matter what, you'll end up with a deliciously boozy sauce that's perfect for topping vanilla ice cream and will last for a month in the fridge.
Get the recipe for Whiskey Peach Sauce »
Peach Walnut Strudel
[Photograph: Carrie Vasios Mullins]
With the help of trusty store-bought puff pastry, this summertime dessert/breakfast pastry comes together painlessly. Walnuts add texture and depth to a simple filling of thinly sliced sweet peaches within a flaky crust.
Get the recipe for Peach Walnut Strudel »
Skirt Steak With Warm Spicy Corn and Peach Salsa
[Photograph: Yasmin Fahr]
The natural sugar in peaches makes a great foil for pan-seared steak and cayenne pepper in this 15-minute dish. The spice-rubbed skirt steak cooks up quickly and is well complemented by a sweet and smoky salsa of charred corn, peaches, and hot pepper. Plus, this recipe uses only one pan, making it a super-easy summer meal.
Get the recipe for Skirt Steak With Warm Spicy Corn and Peach Salsa »
Rustic Apricot-Peach Crostata
[Photograph: Carrie Vasios Mullins]
The simple, unassuming crust of a tart is a perfect way to display summer fruit at its best and let its flavor dominate. This recipe uses a tender pasta frolla as the base, which is capable of standing up to all the sticky peach juice that's released during cooking. A layer of apricot jam adds an extra touch of sweetness.
Get the recipe for Rustic Apricot-Peach Crostata »
Peaches n' Cream Mousse Pie
[Photograph: Lauren Weisenthal]
A whirl of the blender and a few hours of chilling time in the fridge are all that's separating you from reveling in this cool and creamy summertime dessert. Use fresh, ripe peaches in place of frozen ones to make this pie extra seasonal. Cook the fruit with sugar and gelatin before blending and folding with fresh whipped cream to make the filling.
Get the recipe for Peaches n' Cream Mousse Pie »
Bourbon Peach Brown Sugar Ice Cream
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
Peaches plus bourbon plus brown sugar equals sheer, unadulterated goodness. This homemade ice cream is a simple one—blend together peaches with sugar and cream, strain, cook for a bit, add liquor, chill, and churn. The result is an ice cream that's sweet, fruity, and buttery, with just enough alcohol to make it taste grown-up.
Get the recipe for Bourbon Peach Brown Sugar Ice Cream »
Drinks
Sweet Peach Frozen Daiquiri With White Pepper and Green Tea
[Photograph: Elana Lepkowski]
The popular image of the frozen daiquiri—a syrupy-sweet, unnaturally colored adult Slurpee—is a poor shadow of all that the drink can be. This recipe makes the daiquiri infinitely more sophisticated by combining sweet fresh peaches and a homemade syrup infused with white pepper and green tea. To keep the slush from melting right away, chill your mixture overnight and blend with ice before serving.
Get the recipe for Sweet Peach Frozen Daiquiri With White Pepper and Green Tea »
Peaches and Cream Smoothie
[Photograph: Autumn Giles]
Tangy and sweet, with a hint of fresh spice, this smoothie combines peaches, fresh ginger, kefir, and maple syrup for a refreshing summertime breakfast or snack that feels like a treat.
Get the recipe for Peaches and Cream Smoothie »
White Peach Sangria
[Photograph: Autumn Giles]
This white wine sangria gets a fruity tartness from white peaches, while earthy rosemary and gin keep it from getting overly sweet. The result is an unusual, herby, but still-summery blend that's complex enough to please any cocktail drinker.
Get the recipe for White Peach Sangria »
Tomato Gin Cobbler With Peaches and Basil
[Photograph: Autumn Giles]
A cocktail that truly represents the best of summer, this drink muddles juicy peaches and zesty basil, then combines them with dry gin blended with fresh tomatoes. It successfully walks the line between sweet and savory, while also being totally refreshing.
Get the recipe for Tomato Gin Cobbler With Peaches and Basil »
Peach and Aperol Bellini
[Photograph: Heather Meldrom]
The classic brunch drink gets a chic makeover with the addition of bright red, bitter Aperol. It pairs nicely with blended sweet peaches and dry sparkling wine, lending a pretty color along with another layer of flavor. Make this drink by the pitcherful if you're having company.
Get the recipe for Peach and Aperol Bellini »
Peach-Thyme Lemonade
[Photograph: Dave Katz]
A puree of juicy peaches adds a seasonal note to classic lemonade, and fresh thyme offsets the sweetness of the fruit. The key to the lemonade base is using just the right proportions of fresh lemon juice, sugar, and water.
Get the recipe for Peach-Thyme Lemonade »
Grilled Peach Whiskey Sour
[Photograph: Heather Meldrom]
The smokiness and sweetness of grilled peaches give extra complexity to a cocktail based on complementing bourbon with sour flavor. The addition of tamarind soda heightens the sweet-and-sour notes and makes the drink refreshingly bubbly, and a squeeze of lemon juice provides acidity.
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