by Karen K. Ehrens, LRD
Consultant to Healthy North Dakota
The closer we move to summer the easier it gets to find delicious produce in the places we find food. Starting in May and into June, we move into cherry-apricot-peach-plum time! These are the stone fruits, called that for the pits, or stones at their center. This delicious group is like a great family of sisters, each with her own unique characteristics.
Meet the family!
Cherry will be the first to arrive – the little sister, but the one with the biggest flavor. Just wait until we can bite into a firm and glossy cherry and taste the juicy sweet heaven. This anticipation for what the seasons bring is part of the fun of eating. Fresh cherries may be best enjoyed out of your hand, but they can also make a great complement to pork dishes. Try a quick internet search for “pork and cherries” and delicious recipes for pork chops, tenderloin or roast with cherry sauces, glazes or salsas will show up. Give one a try!
Apricots, with their sweet mild flavor, are the shyest sisters. In Latin, “apricot” means “precious.” Apricots, when they ripen, do not last for long so need to be enjoyed quickly. Like cherries, they taste delicious when eaten raw, but are also great on the grill. Just thread whole or halved apricots on skewers. Brush them with a little honey, and grill until semi-soft. Serve them alongside grilled chicken breast for an easy, summery meal.
Apricots and cherries are easy to freeze, too. Wash and dry fruit; slice apricots in half. Spread fruit in a thin layer on a baking sheet, place in freezer, and then once frozen keep in a plastic freezer bag.
Peach is the classy older sister, while nectarine is the sassy sister with a great sweet-tart flavor without the fuzz of a peach. These two sisters are the closest. Peach trees sometimes produce a few nectarines, and nectarine trees a few peaches! Both peaches and nectarines come in either yellow skin or white skin varieties; those with the white skins are less tart. Always let peaches and nectarines ripen at room temperature; when they are ripe enough for you, store in the refrigerator to slow the ripening process. If you like a tart fruit, choose to eat it when it is still a bit firm. If you like sweet fruit let it ripen until a bit softer, when it will also be a bit juicier. Another sign of ripeness is that there will be no sign of green color around the stem.
Plums are the quirky sisters; they have the most color and variety. There are more than 200 varieties of plums grown in California. Plums are the only stone fruit with varieties that can grow here in our region. Wild plums are sweet and juicy in the middle with very tart skins, which are a sign of high levels of anti-oxidants. Plums are one of nature’s great fast foods; wash and toss into your lunch bag or box for a refreshing snack or meal addition. Cooked, plums complement many meats including shrimp, lamb, pork or chicken.
This recipe, which is a delicious alternative to pie, brings the bigger sisters together for a delicious family reunion. Recipe courtesy of the California Tree Fruit Growers http://www.caltreefruit.com/recipes/recipe_Detail.asp?rID=55
Portuguese Pouches
Cook time: 15 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
3 cup cut up fresh California peaches, plums and nectarines
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar, depending on tartness of fruit
5 to 6 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 sheets phyllo dough*
butter flavor no stick cooking spray
Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine fruit with mixture of sugar, cornstarch and lemon peel (use the larger amount of sugar if fruit is tart, and the larger amount of cornstarch if fruit is very juicy); set aside. For each pouch: Spray one phyllo sheet with cooking spray; cut crosswise into three equal strips.
Lay strips across each other to form a spoke pattern, crossing in the center.
Place 1/4 of the fruit filling in center; gently bring phyllo edges up to enclose fruit like a draw-string pouch.
Pinch gently at neck to seal closed.
Repeat for remaining pouches. Place on baking sheet.
Spray each pouch with cooking spray and sprinkle with additional sugar.
Bake about 15 minutes, until crisp and golden and fruit is tender (cover loosely with foil as needed to prevent over browning).
Serve warm.
*Follow instructions on package for using phyllo.