Stone Fruit Season!

Yummy. I'm always waiting eagerly for nectarines and peaches to come in season, for the first half they are always hard, my impatience is obvious. Towards the end I see ripe, decadent, juicy, soft stone fruit at every market stall. When I take a bite and pierce through the skin they burst, dripping down my chin and usually onto my just-washed white clothes this time of year.  

The downside is, of course, when they are so perfectly ready, they over ripen pretty quick…

So here's TWO Simple & Yummy ways to preserve your smooshy fruits and avoid waste.

SUMMER STONE FRUIT RELISH 

6 ripe or overripe peaches/nectarines diced

2 tbsp Olive oil 

1 onion finely diced

4 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 heaped tsp Yellow Mustard seeds 

1tsp Chilli flakes (+ more to taste)

1 heaped  tsp Coriander seeds

2 tbsp Red wine vinegar + more to taste (up to 2 tbsp more)

½ tsp Salt (+ more to taste)  

1 tsp sugar Caster sugar 

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METHOD:

Summer Stone Fruit Relish, add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté onion and garlic until softened and translucent (4-5 minutes). Add mustard seeds and stir until mustard seeds begin to pop,  then add all remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until peaches just begin to soften (2-3 minutes). Turn off the heat, let a spoonful cool and taste, add any vinegar, salt or chilli to your liking and stir in (remember, the flavours will become more rich when the relish is cool) Once you're happy, Transfer to a bowl, cool, then cover and refrigerate for flavours to develop (2-3 hours). Transfer to a sealed container, Summer Stone Fruit Relish will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to a week.

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‍PICKLED PEACHES 

PICKLED PEACHES (and nectarines too)

1 ½ cup of ACV (apple cider vinegar)

1 ½ cup of water 

1 cup of sugar (you can use an unrefined white if you prefer but caster sugar dissolves easily)

1 cinnamon stick

1 Tbsp of salt 

2 tsp whole peppercorns

6 cloves 

1-2 decent size rosemary sprigs

1 whole fresh chilli, seeds removed (spice to your taste)

4-5 whole, pieces of fruit peeled and cut into thick wedges (peaches, nectarines, apricots) 

Easy as! So, This method can be used to make any quick-pickle, I love to use little zucchinis or cornichons, carrots and ginger… but we will get to that later! 

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METHOD:

Place Cut fruit in a bowl and set aside. Combine all the other in ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves (a short few minutes). Turn off and Remove from heat. Add peaches to hot mixture and place a lid on and set aside to cool. Using a slotted spoon remove peaches from the mixture and place them in an airtight sterilised jar. Pour the cooled mixture over the peaches and seal. This should store in the fridge for weeks! Just Keep an eye on them and always use clean cutlery to serve.