Welcome to peach season. I have never been a tropical fruit kind of gal. I was born and raised in the PNW and I am all over the fruit that is grown in my own back yard. Berries, peaches, pears, apples, cherries. My mouth is watering as I write. Look at these peaches growing in my neighborhood!
I went blueberry picking with my sister and niece last weekend and I have never seen such an abundance of blueberries. I picked five pounds and barely moved my feet.
But this post is about peaches and a simple, lovely peach dessert. As long as you have ripe peaches and ingredients for a simple sauce, you are set.
If the peaches you find at the store aren’t quite ripe, just put them in a paper bag on your counter for a day or two and they should ripen right up. Then they are ready to either grill or cook on the stovetop. It will probably work to broil them as well, but I haven’t tried it.
Grilled or Skillet Peaches with Cashew Cream and Pecans
2 peaches (or enough for one half per person)(Freestone peaches are easier to get the pit out of.)
1/2 cup cashew cream or other sweet cream topping (see recipe and notes below)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
cinnamon (optional)
- Gently cut the peaches in equal halves top to bottom and twist to separate halves. With a paring knife carefully pry the stone out of the half that still holds it. You can sometimes do this with your fingers as well.
- Place the peach halves cut side down on a hot grill or on a cast iron skillet set to medium heat. Cook until the peaches start to soften and a paring knife slices easily in through the top. This may take 5-8 minutes depending on the heat of your cooking surface.
- When peaches are cooked, place cut side up in a dessert dish or small plate. Add a dollop of cream on top and sprinkle with pecans. A sprinkle of cinnamon would be nice, too.
Cashew Cream
1 cup cashews, soaked in water with the dates for at least 30 minutes
2 dates, remove pits and soak with the cashews
1 Tbsp dark maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla (I prefer alcohol-free vanilla or vanilla seeds in dishes that are not going to be cooked.)
small pinch sea salt
Drain the cashews and dates. Add to blender with about 1/4 cup water. Start blender on slow and gradually bring the speed up as the cashews get incorporated. Add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to get things moving. Add the rest of ingredients and blend further. Scrape the sides with a spatula. Add one tablespoon of water at a time until you reach desired consistency. Blend for two minutes or longer until the texture is very smooth. Let sit in the blender for 10 minutes before checking consistency again and adding a little more water if desired. Check for sweetness and add a little more maple syrup if you would like. Make it tasty!
Other topping ideas:
Tofu Cream from Marlene Watson-Tara’s website
Coconut Whipped Topping: Place a can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Open the can and pour any liquid out. You can save this liquid for use in other recipes. (I often add it to pancakes, soups or bean dishes.) Spoon the remaining thick coconut cream into a bowl and whip with a few tablespoons maple syrup, a splash of vanilla and a small pinch of sea salt. Viola. Coconut cream. Yum. Don’t get too hung up on whether the texture is liked whipped cream. It’s delicious even if it doesn’t get super fluffy.