Peach Cobbler

 

My husband loves cobbler.  I have made a bunch of variations, but he loves them all.  This fall I bought a box of Paliside peaches and used this in this recipe.  At the height of sweetness, you can use less sugar since the peaches can hold their own.  The biscuit from this recipe is based off of Whole Grain Morning by Megan Gordon.  We did indeed eat this cobbler for breakfast...and then snacked on it the rest of the day until it was gone.  You can use any combination of fruit to make cobbler.  I want to try it with blueberries and peaches.  It would be great as well with apples.  The possibilities are endless.  Use what is in season for best results, though I think frozen berries would also work well.

Peach Cobbler
Filling:
2 pounds peaches, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 -2 2 tablespoons lemon juice
lemon zest from half a lemon
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cornmeal Biscuits:
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup corn meal (fine ground)
3 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Method: Preheat oven to 375 F.  Lightly butter a 9 inch pie plate.  In a bowl mix together peach slices, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow time for sugar to dissolve.  After the sugar has dissolved add the flour and salt to the peaches.  Make the dough by sifting the flours together in a separate bowl.  Add cornmeal, sugar baking powder and salt.  Add the butter and mix into dough until it is pea sized or smaller.  Add the yogurt and buttermilk.  Stir until the dough just comes together.  Pour the peaches into the pie plate.  Drop little pieces of dough until all the dough is gone.  Bake until the biscuit are golden brown and the peach juices are bubbling which should be about 35 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool at least 15 minutes before eating.  You can also wait and serve this at room temperature.

Rustic Peach and Blueberry Tart

I ordered Palisade peaches this year and received the box not too long ago.  While I prefer nectarines to peaches (there is just something about the fuzz that drives me crazy when it sticks to me), these peaches are delicious.  They are also shipped all over the U.S.  One year I was in the grocery store when the first of the season had come in.  I bought some and went back for more.  I picked one up and it was so large that I could hardly hold it in one hand.  Out of curiosity I put in on the scale and it weighed nearly a pound.  I had to try it.  Sometimes the larger the vegetable or fruit it, the less good it is, but this was not the case, though it was quite filling!

 

  At any rate, I have been looking over recipes for ideas for my peaches.  I came across this one from the Back in the Day Cookbook.  It is a close adaptation of the one in the book by Griffith and Cheryl Day.  I was also impressed by their recipe for the crust.  I haven't made one with cornmeal in it, but it was beautifully balanced and turned out well. (Though for some reason dough likes me, though I don't particularly like it.)

Rustic Peach and Blueberry Tart
3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I freeze them from fresh.)
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Put the peaches, blueberries and vanilla sugar in a bowl and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the crust:
1.5 cups flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 Tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
water to bring dough together

Heat oven to 425f.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Cut in unsalted butter until incorporated into course texture.  Add water sufficient to bring the dough just together.  Add slowly so your dough doesn't get too wet.  Roll out into a 12 inch circle.

Pour the peaches and blueberries into the center of the dough allowing a 2 inch circle around the edges.  Fold the edges over the fruit.  Pour the juice from the berries and peaches into the center.  Brush the crust with milk and dust with sugar.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes.  Serve warm.

This is also delicious cold and will keep a few days in the refrigerator.  It would also be wonderful with a scoop of ice cream.  Serves about 8, cut small pieces.