MBP Photograhy
Blueberry-peach slump
Break out the cast-iron skillet and make this crowd-pleasing dish featuring two of your favorite fruits topped with dumplings.
Photo by Mark Boughton courtesy of Gibbs Smith
Serves 8–10
Filling
6 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
1 pint blueberries
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup water
Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
½ cup buttermilk
In a large bowl, combine peaches, berries, sugar, salt, cornstarch, cardamom, lemon juice and water. Pour into a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium-low and let simmer while you make the topping.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until flour mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in enough buttermilk until mixture becomes a sticky dough (there may be buttermilk leftover). Do not overmix. Using a spoon, drop spoonfuls of dough evenly over the simmering peach mixture. Cover and cook 20 minutes, or until dough has spread and is puffy (springs back when you touch it). Remove the cover and let cool slightly before serving.
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Tips and techniques
Frozen can be as good as fresh
If you want to enjoy the experience of biting into a “fresh” peach in the dead of winter, or want the flavor and consistency of fresh peaches in sweet or savory recipes year-round, frozen peaches are a fantastic option. When you thaw them, it’s just like biting into a fresh peach—they taste just like peaches picked off the tree. Here’s how to freeze them at home.
Line sheet pans (as many as you need to hold your peaches and will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper. Peel peaches (or not) and slice, quarter or halve. Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Spread on sheet pans. Put in freezer and allow peaches to harden—at least 4 hours or more. Remove from freezer. Seal peaches in Ziploc or vacuum-sealed bags and return to freezer. If you use a Ziploc bag, the peaches should be consumed within one year. Peaches in vacuum-sealed bags can last up to three years.
For baking, do not thaw the peaches—use in the frozen state. To eat or use in cooked dishes, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Peeling made easy
It doesn’t surprise me that “Give peaches the slip” is one of my most popular how-to cooking videos. This time-saving trick takes all the hassle out of peeling ripe peaches for canning, cooking, eating and baking.
Bring a pot of water to a low boil. Use a knife to score (cut an “x”) into the bottom point of each peach, then place the peaches into the hot water for about one minute. Remove peaches from the water with a slotted spoon and place them into an ice bath. When the peaches are cool enough to handle, you’ll be able to slide the peels off with your fingers in a matter of seconds.
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Related story
Everything’s Just Peachy—Enjoy six delicious dessert recipes from Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s first cookbook, Just Peachy.