Recipes: Summer relishes
Piquant Peach Icebox Relish
I found this heirloom idea of curing fruit in sugar and salt intensifies fresh flavors. At the same time, it is a brilliantly easy preserving method. No heat is used so that gorgeous peach flavor never flattens out. On summer weekends, I haunt markets and bring home all sorts of fruits. I line them up in strainers and end up with no room in the fridge for its usual occupants. I add herbs to some jars, others get chiles and spices, and on occasion some get moistened with rum or bourbon.
Serve this spicy peach relish on cracker bread, rye bread, on cucumber slices with blue cheese, or just on its own. And don't overlook pairing it with anything grilled -- from fish to tempeh to steak to grilled fruits.
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Four large, firm, ripe, good-tasting peaches, peeled and cut into eight or 10 pieces each
3/4 cup sugar and more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 whole seeded and minced serrano or jalapeno chile
Juice of 1 and 1/2 large limes
One 3-inch cinnamon stick, cracked
1. Three days to two weeks before serving, place a large strainer over a bowl. Add the peaches to the strainer and gently toss them with the sugar, salt, pepper, chile and the juice of one large lime. Let stand loosely covered overnight on a counter.
2. The next day, scrape the juice from the bowl into a small saucepan. Boil it with the cinnamon stick until thickened but not caramelized. Let it cool.
3. Taste the peaches for sweetness, adding another spoon of sugar if you'd like. Pack them into a large clean glass jar. Pour in the syrup and cinnamon, and squeeze a little more lime in the jar. Tighten the lid on the jar, and shake like a cocktail shaker to blend everything. Refrigerate at least two days before using, turning the jar each day.
Reprinted from "Eating In with Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Issue 2."
Hot-Sweet-Tart Onion Rings
Yes, I have a predilection for things pickled. There's logic here. Tart, sweet, salty, hot -- these are primal tastes we humans are wired to respond to. Anthropology 101 aside, they nudge forward other flavors, which is why these simple pickles can be building blocks for an infinite number of starters.
Try them atop pieces of grilled polenta or smoked fish (don't forget kippers in the can!), or paired with aged cheddar or gouda. Or head to the deli case. Get a good piece of liver sausage and black bread, and finish with these rings.
And of course, don't forget the condiment opportunities: burgers, tempeh, brats, salmon, melon (believe it or not), sandwiches, and even peanut butter and bacon take a trip to the moon with these onions.
3 large red onions, thinly sliced (food processor or mandolin will save tears)
Juice of 2 large limes
3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
Generous 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 fresh serrano chilies, minced, remove seed to diminish heat if desired
1/3 tightly packed cup fresh mint (optional)
Toss the sliced onions with everything but the mint. Taste for salt and tart-sweet balance. Refrigerate a minimum of several hours before using. If using the mint, add it as you use the onions so its flavor stays bright.
Reprinted from "Eating In with Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Issue 2."
