Cauliflower Sautéed with Peaches and Cardamom

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay)

4 cups chopped cauliflower
2 medium shallots, slivered
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. peaches (2 medium)
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
Several grinds black pepper
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves

Combine the cauliflower, shallots, and salt with 1/3 cup water in a heavy-bottomed skillet.  Cover and cook over medium heat 7-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is barely fork-tender.

Meanwhile, peel the peaches and slice the flesh from the pits into bite-size chunks.

When the cauliflower is barely tender, stir in the peaches and sprinkle the cardamom and pepper evenly over the contents of the skillet.  Cook, stirring gently but frequently, for 3 minutes or so, until the peaches are heated through.  Toss with the parsley in a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

(Really good and interesting.  I took an old vegan cookbook - so old it didn't have any recipes with kale! - and cooked my way through the whole of it.  Many recipes were so-so, but there have been a few stunners like this one, truly odd and delightful.)

Spiced Peach Chutney

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 medium ripe peaches
1 cup seedless grapes (both green and red work just fine) (I halved the grapes.)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Peel and pit the peaches; cut and dice them.  Mix with grapes, honey, and mustard; set aside.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine oil, onions, raisins, mustard seed, and allspice.  Cook until the onion is golden and the raisins have plumped, perhaps 5-10 minutes, stirring often.  Spoon the hot mixture into the fruit mixture and fold together to blend.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  This is not a preserve - it will keep in the icebox for a few days only. 

(Yummy!  I kept it cold and spooned it over a bed of mixed greens for a simple salad.)

Tomato-and-Peach Salad with Crisp Tofu

(recipe from Food and Wine magazine)

2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar (I used honey)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. canola oil (I used olive oil)
6 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained well and cubed
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2 peaches, cut into wedges
1 cup arugula or mizuna
1/2 cup basil leaves

Put the serranos in a small heatproof bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil with the vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 tsp. of salt, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Pour the brine over the serranos and let stand for 15 minutes, until cooled to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, mustard and 3 Tbsp. of the oil.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until shimmering.  Add the tofu and cook over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, 5 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Season with salt.

Arrange the tomatoes, peaches, arugula and serranos on a platter.  Drizzle with the soy-lime dressing, scatter the tofu and basil on top and serve.

(This is a kick-ass salad.  There are many steps, but worth it!  Tangy, sweet, spicy.  I kept all of the components separate and was able to eat several salads over several days, though the sliced tomatoes don't keep too long in the fridge.)

Peaches in Red Wine

(recipe from Marie Claire magazine)

2 cups red wine
3 Tbsp. sugar (I used honey)
1 cinnamon stick
1 2" piece of lemon peel
4 large ripe peaches or 5 nectarines, cut into eighths

In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup red wine with sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel.  When sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and set pan in a bowl of iced water for a few minutes, until cool.  Add remaining wine.

Place peaches in a large bowl or jar and cover with wine mixture.  Chill.  Serve with your favorite cookies.

(Kind of like a sangria dessert!  I just ate the peaches by themselves with some of the wine spooned over.  After a few days in the fridge, the peaches really soak up the spiced wine and are tasty.  Odd, interesting.)

Peach and Pistachio Salad

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 large hot red chile, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 underripe medium peaches, very thinly sliced
1 small jicama (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
3/4 cup shelled, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 cups baby arugula

In a large bowl, combine the shallot, red chile, sugar and vinegar and let stand for 5 minutes.  Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Add the peaches, jicama, and pistachios and toss well.  Fold in the arugula and season with salt and pepper.  Serve right away.

(This is one of the best things I have ever eaten.  I brought this for lunches by keeping the arugula in a separate container and combining with the peach/dressing mixture at lunchtime.  Just amazing textures and flavors.  Bravo!)

Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

2 cups vanilla wafer cookies (5 ounces)
1/2 cup smoked almonds
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 firm, ripe medium peaches, peeled and cut into thin wedges

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor, combine the vanilla wafers with the almonds and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and process until fine.  Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Press the crumbs into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is set.

Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl.  Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and process until smooth.  Pour the custard into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, until set.  Let the tart cool slightly and transfer to the freezer to chill, about 15 minutes.

In a bowl, toss the peaches with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of sugar.  Arrange the peaches in 2 concentric circles over the custard.  Remove the ring, cut the tart into wedges and serve.

(Nope, not vegan, not even close.  Made this to serve the ladies along with snacks and drinks in my garden.  Peaches were on sale, it's a quick recipe.  I couldn't find smoked almonds, just used roasted unsalted ones.  The crust is a bit crumbly, but tastes good.  Any fruit would be fine in this.)