Peaches capture flavor of summer

Summer peaches make me swoon.

Warm and ripe, with juices flowing, peaches capture the warmth of summer in each succulent bite.

There are plenty of ways to eat a peach — just plain is best — but you can use them in recipes from pie and cobblers to jams and parfaits.
Peaches can also be grilled and used in more savory recipes.

Today's Busy Cook page in the Journal features a variety of peach recipes, including Peaches and Dumplings and a simple, but sexy, Bellini.


Here are a few more recipes if you're wondering what to do with the bounty of the season.

The bruschetta recipe is so simple in its construction, but big in terms of flavor.

A ripe peach, some good peasant bread and a succulent blue cheese is all you need to make a memorable appetizer or even dessert.

(This peach bruschetta can easily be made on the grill/Gannett News Service photos)

Peach Bruschetta with Blue Cheese

1. 4 slices country bread
2. 2 peaches
3. extra virgin olive oil for brushing
4. 1/4 pound blue cheese

• Preheat the broiler.
• Arrange the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet, slip under the broiler and toast, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. This should take only a few minutes.
• While the bread is toasting, halve the peaches lengthwise, pit them, and then peel each half.
• Cut each half lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices, keeping the shape of each half intact.
• When the bread is ready, remove from the broiler and brush each slice on both sides with olive oil.
• Spread 1/4 of the cheese on each slice of warm bread, place a sliced peach half on top and serve.
• Makes 4 servings.

Source: “The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook” by Christopher Hirsheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker (Chronicle Books, 2006).

(Peaches can be substituted for tomatoes in this mozzarella stack)

Warm Grilled Peach and Frisee Salad with Goat Cheese

For the dressing:

1. 2 1/2 ounces crumbly goat cheese
2. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3. 5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4. juice of 1 lemon
5. 1 tablespoon walnut oil
6. 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

For the salad:

1. 2 large ripe peaches, halved and pits removed
2. extra virgin olive oil
3. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4. 2 frisee or endive leaves, dark outer leaves discarded, inner leaves washed and dried
5. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6. A small bunch of fresh mint, smallest leaves picked

• To make the dressing, put the goat cheese in a mortar and pestle with a little salt and pepper. (Goat cheese is already salty, so go easy on the salt.)
• Add the olive oil and lemon juice and mix.
• Add the walnut oil and the Parmesan and mix again, but not for too long or it will split.
• Put your peaches cut-side down on a white-hot griddle pan and char them nicely on both sides. Remove and put on a large platter or divide between four plates.
• Drizzle the peaches with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Put the frisee or endive leaves in a bowl with enough of the goat cheese dressing to coat the leaves, and toss together gently and beautifully.
• Grate a little Parmesan over the dressed salad and put a pile of it on each plate, next to the peach halves.
• Scatter with some baby mint leaves and some warmed, crumbled walnuts sprinkled over the top.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: “Cook with Jamie” by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion, 2007).