Summer is About the Peach!

Rich in Vitamin A, C, E, and K, peaches are loaded with antioxidants and have some incredible health benefits! Peaches may help support healthy eyes, treat stomach disorders, help the body destroy skin infections, help maintain a healthy blood pressure (as they are rich in potassium), improve heart health, and they even include many anticancer properties - who wouldn’t want to include them in their summer party dish??

Scheherezade Daftary, lead cooking instructor for Delightful Table

Scheherezade Daftary, lead cooking instructor for Delightful Table, shares a few of her (and most certainly ours) visually stunning, delicious, and refreshing peach recipes. Her incredible peach recipes range from delectable desserts, flavorful salads to some irresistible main course meals (for the meat lovers).

Peachy Cabbage Slaw

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of cabbage, sliced very thin (I used a mandolin)

• 1 ripe peach, washed and halved

• 1/4 cup of walnuts

• 1 lb of Brussels sprouts

• 2 Tablespoons of miso paste

• 3 Tablespoons of white wine or champagne vinegar

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 5 black peppercorns

• 1/2 cup of olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Trim the Brussels sprouts of any tough stems and outer leaves and then cut them in half. Toss them in oil and salt and then roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until they are golden crispy around the edges.

Cut one half of the peach in chunks and toss into the blender (I use a Vitamix). Take the other half and cut into whatever shape you want to have in your salad, chunks, slices, it’s your world.

Add miso paste, vinegar, lemon zest, peppercorns to the blender with the peaches and blend it up into a smooth liquid.

With the blender on, slowly drizzle in the oil. You should see it start to thicken up as you pour out the last drops of oil.

Taste and adjust salt to taste.

In a large bowl toss the shredded cabbage, Brussels sprouts, walnuts and remaining peach, cut how you like. Pour the dressing over and toss to coat.. Serve immediately or store for later and have for lunch. It has more of a coleslaw vibe the longer you let it sit.

Pork Tenderloin and Rosemary Peaches

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 one pound pork tenderloins

• 4 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped

• Salt and pepper

Directions

Pat the pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

Heat grill pan or barbecue grill to high heat. Grill the pork, turning, until marked, about 10 minutes. Place pork on cutting board and let it rest.

Halve, pit, peel and slice peaches. Put peaches into a sauce pan with wine, brown sugar, and rosemary. Cook over medium-high heat until the peaches are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set to the side.

The pork should be ready to slice by now (If you slice it right off the grill the juices will run everywhere and you’ll lose all that amazingness! Let it rest first. Always.). Slice the tenderloin and place onto a serving platter. Arrange peaches around pork and server warm.

Vanilla Mousse with Sauteed Peaches

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 large, ripe peaches, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

• 3 Tablespoons of bourbon

• 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

• 2 graham crackers

• 1/4 cup of halved pecans

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1/4 cup of water plus 1/2 Tablespoon of vanilla extract (pour vanilla extract into 1/4 cup measure and then fill the rest of the way with water)

• 2 large egg whites

• 4 Tablespoons of sugar, divided

• 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt

Directions

Combine egg yolks, diluted vanilla, salt, and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a large metal bowl. Set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is lighter in color and almost doubled in volume and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160 degrees. It should be light yellow and custardy in texture.

Remove bowl from pan. Let stand, whisking occasionally, until room temperature.

Stir bourbon and brown sugar in a skillet over medium-high heat until sugar is completely dissolved and simmering. Add the peaches and cook until they soften. The time will depend on how ripe the peaches are. Set the peaches aside to cool.

In a clean skillet toast the pecan halves and then crush them. Crumble or crush the graham crackers and mix together in a small bowl with the crushed toasted pecans.

Beat 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 Tablespoon of sugar in medium bowl until stiff peaks form; cover and chill.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg white in another medium bowl on medium speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually beat in remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until firm peaks form.

Fold egg whites into vanilla custard in 2 additions; fold half of whipped cream into mixture just to blend.

Put equal amounts of vanilla mousse in the bottom of 6 glasses. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so mousse can set.

Top mousse with a layer of bourbon peaches, then a layer of graham cracker and pecan mixture and then a dollop of the remaining whipped cream.

By the way, Daftary offers vegan, organic cooking classes that not only focus on zero waste and ecological and sustainable farming practices, but the creativity she puts into each dish, unmasks flavors many of us may not have known existed! Her passion for cooking and the tricks and techniques she teaches, leaves people feeling more confident about their skills and their inner chef!

Learn more at www.thedelightfultable.com.