Email
PrintChilled spiced peach soup
2011 Crestock
August is a splendid month for eating seasonal food in Ohio. The options are extensive and include apples, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, carrots, grapes, peppers, potatoes and peaches.
The peach season in Ohio only lasts until mid September, but for that short time it’s easy to waddle home from a farmers’ market lugging a bushel of ripe, sweet lovelies. (Tip: Peaches actually don’t ripen once they are picked; you can soften them by placing them in a paper bag, but they won’t get any sweeter.)
When buying, choose firm peaches that smell sweet and aren’t rock hard. Avoid any with bruises or soft spots. Also shy away from those with green skin. These will never ripen. Don’t wash them until they’re ready to eat because moisture can cause peaches to decay faster.
Peaches are delicious on their own, but try baking them stuffed with sugar, butter and almonds or try a recipe by chef Paul Yow of Barcelona for chilled spiced peach soup—perfect for a first course, a dessert or even for the base of a cocktail. (Makes about two quarts.) This and other recipes from the German Village restaurant are found in the book Barcelona Cooking.
Chilled spiced peach soup
2-1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar (if peaches are really sweet, reduce sugar slightly)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
1 star anise
6 whole black peppercorns
1/2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced thin
1 teaspoon cardamom seed
1 jalapeño, split in half
Place the peach chunks in a bowl with the lemon juice. Put all of the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Place on a medium flame, bring to a simmer and turn off the heat. Let it sit for
10 minutes to allow the flavors to steep into the liquid. Pour contents through a fine mesh strainer over the peaches. Purée in small batches in a blender. Refrigerate for up to three days. Serve cold in small bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
