Sweet, fragrant, delicious peaches are one of the joys of summer and they’re at their best right now.
Australian peaches are grown mainly in Queensland, NSW, Tasmania and southern Western Australia. They’re handpicked to avoid damage to their delicate flesh.
There are hundreds of varieties of peaches, but they tend to be sold by flesh colour – either yellow- or white-fleshed. Yellow-fleshed fruit tend to have more tangy undertones, while the white-fleshed varieties are considered to be more ‘gourmet’.
Nutrition notes
Fresh peaches are a great source of vitamin C, fibre, potassium and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), which help reduce the risk of conditions such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Yellow-fleshed fruits are also rich in the pigment beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Peaches are low in calories, each 140g fruit providing just 66 calories.
Buying
Choose unblemished firm, plump fruits that yield to gentle pressure. Avoid unripe green fruits, but remember that the red or blush skin tones indicate variety, not ripeness. Peaches get softer and juicier after they’re picked, but they only develop flavour and sweetness while they’re on the tree, so use your nose as a guide – good fragrance is the best indicator of full-on flavour.
Storing
Ripen fruit at room temperature then keep soft fruits in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them – they’ll last for a few days. Very ripe peaches go from peak to ‘past it’ very fast, so eat them as soon as you can.
Preparing
If you’re eating a peach with the skin on, clean by rinsing it under running cold water. For the best flavour, allow refrigerated peaches to come to room temperature before you eat them.
To peel a peach for cooking, just run a knife blade from the top to the bottom of the fruit then peel the skin off with a sharp knife; it should peel away easily if the fruit is ripe. If you’re preparing a large number of fruits, blanch them by dropping them briefly into boiling water (around 10 seconds for soft fruit, 30 seconds for firmer ones) then cool in cold water and drain. The skin should come away easily using your fingers or with a knife.
If you’re not eating cut peaches immediately, brush with a little lemon juice to prevent them going brown.
Enjoying
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Throw together an Italian-inspired salad or starter. Top quarters of fresh peach with a little low-fat mozzarella and wrap with prosciutto. Serve with rocket leaves and a drizzle of lemon or chilli-infused olive oil.
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Indulge the family with a special breakfast. Mix together 2tbsp of low-fat ricotta with the zest of half a lime. Toast two slices of raisin bread and spread with the lime ricotta. Scatter with a few raspberries and peach slices and drizzle with a little honey.
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Make a zingy chutney. Peel a ripe peach, cut into two, brush with a little olive oil and grill until tender (6-8 minutes), turning occasionally. Allow to cool slightly and in the meantime whisk together half a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, 1tsp brown sugar and 1tbsp rice vinegar, plus salt to taste. Chop the peaches and stir into the ginger sauce. Serve with grilled chicken or pork.
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Sip a classic peach Bellini. Spoon puréed, peeled peaches into a cocktail glass and top with sparkling wine (about one third peach purée to two-thirds sparkling). Make it low-cal and alcohol-free by using diet lemonade instead of wine.