Peach Butter
Ingredients
6 cups roughly-chopped fresh peaches, pits removed
Pinch of ground cinnamon and/or ginger
2 to 4 tablespoons honey (adjust according to the sweetness of the peaches)
Preparation
In a large, heavy-bottom pot, stir together the peaches, spices and honey. Cook over low-medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes, until the peaches begin to break down. Use an immersion blender to puree the peaches until smooth. (A regular blender can be used, blending the peaches in small batches. But be careful—the peach mixture will be very hot and sticky!) Cook the peach puree another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into mason jars or sturdy plastic containers, cover and refrigerate.
Serving Suggestion
Spread peach butter on waffles, pancakes, toast, scones or biscuits to liven up your breakfast, or drizzle over a chunk of salty blue cheese on an appetizer platter. Add vanilla, mango or strawberries for more exotic flavor combinations. Peach butter will keep refrigerated for a few weeks.
Recipe & photo courtesy of http://strongertogether.coop/
Avocado-Lime Sauce Vierge
This fantastic recipe post and photos thanks to: MyLilikoiKitchen
Sauce Vierge is a French sauce literally meaning virgin sauce because it is not cooked. There are so many variations, often using tomatoes as the base of the sauce. The main ingredients found in most of the recipes are olive oil, fresh herbs and lemon juice. This recipe includes luscious avocado, the juice and pulp of a lime, and jalapeño pepper. Brilliant!
The article suggests serving this sauce with grilled fish, roast chicken, or huevos rancheros. We served it with a roast chicken and dipped tortilla chips in the leftover sauce the following day. It was so good, I made more right away.
Avocado – Lime Sauce Vierge
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients
1 medium avocado, pitted, diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1 – 2 limes, halved (our limes from the garden are large and juicy so I used just 1 lime, taste as you go)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Dice avocado and place in a medium bowl. Coarsely crush some of the avocado. Stir in olive oil, jalapeño, garlic, and shallot. Squeeze limes into avocado mixture. Using a spoon, scrape pulp out of limes into mixture. Stir to combine. Do Ahead: Sauce can be made a few days in advance. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of sauce. Cover and refrigerate. Bring sauce to room temperature before continuing.
Stir basil and cilantro into sauce just before serving. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra olive oil if desired.
