Peach season has returned to Tucson and that makes me happy.
Growing up in the Northeast United States, we really didn't get good peaches unless we ordered them shipped from Georgia. Otherwise, the store-bought ones went from hard-as-rock to flavorless mealy-and-mushy overnight, without even a minute in between when they were perfect.
The peaches we get in this region are excellent, although sometimes they are smaller varieties. And I love how long our peach season is.
Because of the numerous microclimates we have across southern Arizona, our peach season begins in mid-May and lasts into the middle or end of July! That's a peach of a season, isn't it?
I have been going back to look on blogs of friends who live south of the equator to find peach recipes they posted while we could only dream of last summer’s peaches. Paula had Peaches in Vanilla Bean Syrup on Vintage Kitchen Notes in April, and Anna from The Littlest Anchovy posted Char-Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone, Honey and Hazelnuts. Salan Masala Baked Peaches were presented by John of He Needs Food.
Those recipes should get me started in my quest to eat a heck of a lot of peaches in the next couple of months. Any ideas from you all?
One of our all-time favorites is the unbelievably simple and rustic peaches in red wine. We learned of this in Italy. You simple slice up peaches into your wine glass that still has some red wine in it. (Really? You had unfinished wine?) It is delicious and light after a large meal.
For this week, I decided to try something that has been on my mind for a while. My mother's cinnamon cherry cobbler has a great topping of pecan-cinnamon swirl biscuits. To date, I have only made them to top her (until now) sacrosanct cherry cobbler (From Mom's Kitchen). But I have often thought they might be great on any cobbler!
My resident polymath tells me that cobble means “lump,” which means that paving stones, coal, small hills, incompetent repairmen (never ever use the term for a shoemaker!), and this category of deserts (topped with lumps of dough) all fall into the same category.
So, I made a peach cobbler with pecan-cinnamon swirl biscuits on top. I am so glad I did! The combination was perfect and now I feel free to try it with other fruits. Blueberries might be next!
The recipe for the biscuits isn't one of those quick, slap-it-together-and-plop-it-on-top cobbler recipes. It does take a little fussing, but it is well worth it! This is a winning combination. I used beautiful, plump Arizona pecans that I got form Dwayne's Fresh Jerky in Bowie.
Oh, wait! Pears! ... Maybe the next one I make will be made with pears!
Cobble, cobble!
~ David
Peach Cobbler with Pecan Swirl Biscuits
2 teaspoons butter, divided
6 ripe peaches (about 2½ pounds), peeled and sliced
½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Butter an 8-inch square baking pan with ½ teaspoon butter. Peel (see notes) and slice peaches into a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon and mix well to combine. Spread evenly in the bottom the pan. Dot with remaining butter and set aside while making the cinnamon rounds:
1½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
½ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup butter, chilled
1 slightly beaten egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sift flour with baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar and pecans. Cut in the butter until particles are fine. Combine egg and milk. Add to flour mixture, mixing until all dry particles are moistened, adding a few more drops of milk if necessary to make a rollable dough.
(see my post on Cinnamon Cherry Cobbler for a visual tutorial on making the rounds.) On a floured surface roll out to form a 14-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Brush with butter. Combine remaining 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up, starting with the 12-inch side. Cut into 16 even slices and place the pinwheels atop the peach filling. Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Then glaze:
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mix sugar and lemon juice well. Remove cobbler from oven and glaze while still warm.
Serves 8.
Notes:
• The easiest way to peel peaches is to drop them in boiling water for 30-45 seconds, then drain. The skins will slip right off.
Labels: cobbler, dwayne's fresh jerky, from mom's kitchen, peach cobbler, peaches, pecan swirl biscuits, pecans
