Sauteed Fresh Peaches

We’re still enjoying this year’s delicious peach crop in as many ways as I can think of and in the process have come across a simple recipe for sautéed peaches.

After trying a few new recipes, there remained five ripe peaches in the basket, just enough to give this recipe a try.  After all, how wrong could one go with three simple ingredients like fresh peaches, butter and sugar?

Taking only a few minutes to prepare, the minimal work left me feeling that it might not taste as good as it looked in the picture but sometimes I really don’t mind being wrong. 

Since the recipe instructed to serve immediately I scooped a portion of vanilla ice cream into a fancy ice cream dish and covered it with a few spoonfuls of warm peaches.
Realizing that this ice cream was not going to wait for me to take a good picture before becoming an ice cream puddle I had to come up with a better plan.

What else could I do?  Someone had to eat it!  At exactly eleven o’clock in the morning I sat myself down and enjoyed one of the best ice cream desserts I’ve ever had. While indulging in this delicious combination I was inspired with a picture possibility.

Peaches and cream, another winning combination, why not?

After cooling the peach mixture I prepared some whipping cream sweetening it ever so slightly since the peaches were doing a good job of being sweet all on their own and layered them in a parfait glass. With no good excuse to eat this one, I quickly took a picture and placed the dessert in the refrigerator.

No problem…someone else ate it!

Sauteed Fresh Peaches

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 to 5 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges

1. In a large skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in sugar.
3. Add peaches.
4. Cook, stirring until sugar has dissolved and peaches are warmed through and coated, 2 to 5 minutes.
5. Serve immediately.

 

 Notes, Tips and Suggestions

•  Although recipe instructs to serve immediately it's also good at room temperature or even cold.  I was concerned that the sugar/butter mixture would harden upon cooling but it doesn’t.
• It does however taste absolutely delicious warm on top of ice cream (especially if eaten at eleven o’clock in the morning.)
• Next time I will add a pinch of cinnamon.

“Appeeling” Peaches

This method of peeling peaches works very well.  Blanching them in hot water removes the skin while leaving the beautiful rosy blush of the peach on the peeled fruit.

• In a large pot bring water up to a boil.
• Make a small X through the skin on the bottom of the peach
• Remove from heat and add peaches making sure they are completely submerged.
• Leave in hot water about 40 seconds and up to 1 minute if peaches are firm.
• Transfer peaches with a slotted spoon to a bowl of very cold or ice water and leave for about 1 minute.
• Drain and pat peaches dry.
• Using fingers or paring knife peel starting at the bottom of the peach where the skin has been cut.
• This method also works well for blanching tomatoes.