Fall in Love with Perfectly Ripe Peaches

Savor sweet, juicy peaches this summer with our best recipes to showcase one of our favorite seasonal fruits.

Insalata con Peche
























Ingredients
1 (6-oz.) package spring greens mix
2 (8-oz.) packages fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 large fresh, ripe peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation
Place greens on 4 serving plates. Top with mozzarella, peaches, and prosciutto; sprinkle with thyme. Whisk oil into lemon juice in a slow stream until blended; whisk in salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over salads.

Related: 12 Superfast Salad Suppers

Photo: Jim Franco
Photo: Jim Franco

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Peach Pie

Photo: Jim Franco
Photo: Jim Franco

























Ingredients
1 1/3 cups cold butter
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold water
8 large fresh, firm, ripe peaches (about 4 lbs.)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Preparation
Cut 1 1/3 cups butter into small cubes, and chill 15 minutes. Stir together 4 cups flour and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles small peas. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup ice water with a fork, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened and dough begins to form a ball and leaves sides of bowl, adding more ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, if necessary. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press and shape dough into 2 flat disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425º. Place 1 dough disk on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Starting at 1 edge of dough, wrap dough around a rolling pin. Place rolling pin over a 9-inch pie plate, and unroll dough over pie plate. Press dough into pie plate.

Roll remaining dough disk to about 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Peel peaches, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; cut slices in half. Stir together brown sugar, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 cup flour in a bowl; add peaches, stirring to coat. Immediately spoon peach mixture into piecrust in pie plate, and dot with 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter. (Do not make mixture ahead or it will become too juicy.)

Carefully place remaining piecrust over filling; press edges of crusts together to seal. Cut off excess crust, and reserve. Crimp edges of pie. Brush top of pie with beaten egg; sprinkle with 1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 to 5 slits in top of pie for steam to escape.

Freeze pie 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a jelly-roll pan in oven 10 minutes. Place pie on hot jelly-roll pan.
Bake at 425° on lower rack 15 minutes. Reduced oven temperature to 375°; bake 40 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 25 more minutes or until juices are thick and bubbly (juices will bubble through top). Transfer to a wire rack; cool 2 hours before serving.

Related: 12 Crazy-Good Cobblers

Grilled Pork Porterhouse with Peach Agrodolce
























Ingredients
4 (1 1/2-inch-thick) pork porterhouse chops (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Peach Agrodolce

Peach Agrodolce
Cook 2 Tbsp. raisins, 2 Tbsp. tawny port wine, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in 1 Tbsp. each chopped fresh parsley, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Stir in 2 diced peaches and salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation
Let pork stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Light one side of grill, heating to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat; leave other side until. Brush pork with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill pork over lit side of grill, covered with grill lid, 4 minutes on each side; transfer pork to unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 150°. Let stand 5 minutes. Arrange pork on a serving platter, and top with Peach Agrodolce.

Related: Budget-Friendly Pork Chop Recipes

Peach Brûlée with Honey Crème Anglaise
























Ingredients
4 large fresh, ripe peaches, halved
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. sugar
Honey Crème Anglaise

Honey Crème Anglaise
Whisk together 2 cups half-and-half, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. honey, 1/8 tsp. salt, and 3 egg yolks in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Serve warm or cold.

Photo: Jim Franco
Photo: Jim Franco
Photo: Jim Franco
Photo: Jim Franco


Preparation
Preheat broiler with oven rack 5 inches from heat. Arrange peaches, cut sides up in a broiler pan. Brush cut sides with melted butter, and sprinkle each with 1/2 Tbsp. sugar. Broil 10 to 11 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately with Honey Crème Anglaise.

Related: 100 Ways with Fresh Berries


Summer Grilled Peach Salad

Photo: Jim Franco
Photo: Jim Franco

























Ingredients
1 cup pecans
4 large fresh, ripe peaches, halved
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (4-oz.) wedge Gorgonzola cheese, broken into 8 pieces
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 10 to 12 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Gently toss peach halves in 1 Tbsp. olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Grill peaches, cut sides down, covered with grill lid, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Turn peaches, and place 1 cheese piece in center of each peach; grill, covered with grill lid, 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.

Toss arugula with remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange arugula on a serving platter; sprinkle with toasted pecans, and top with grilled peach halves. Drizzle peaches with honey, and sprinkle with chives.

See 18 more delicious peach recipes!

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