Produce practically sells itself this month. No one needs to be enticed to shop at the farmers’ market, where the glories of summer abound. Best of all, so much of what you find there requires little or no cooking. Make shopping the market your secret to noteworthy summer meals. No one needs to know how little time you actually spent in the kitchen.
Who would turn down a bowl of perfectly ripe raspberries, or a slab of juicy ice-cold watermelon for dessert? Locally grown berries, plums, and grapes are as sweet as candy. What possible adornment could improve upon a fragrant, tree-ripened peach or nectarine? Veggies like a rainbow of organically-grown tomato varieties, crunchy cucumbers, multi-color bell peppers, tender young green beans, and green and yellow summer squash often taste best after little or no cooking, or with nothing more than a drizzle of California olive oil. Just a minute or two on the grill makes summer’s sweet corn the thing memories are made of. It’s summertime, and the livin’ is indeed easy.
But sometimes, when a special occasion warrants a special dessert, I gather up my weekly farmers’ market stash and bake in the quiet morning hours before the afternoon heat sets in.
Save the layer cake, chocolate mousse, and bread pudding for fall. When summer fruits are at their peak, showcase them in pies, cobblers, and shortcakes. Crisps are hands-down the easiest baked dessert of all. And when you start out with the finest fruits of the season, it’s hard to fail.
PEACH and BOYSENBERRY CRISP
For the Filling:
8 to 10 firm but ripe large peaches (4 to 5 pounds)
1/3 cup (packed) light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or more, as needed)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pint (2 cups) vine-ripened boysenberries
For the Topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (packed) light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup toasted and coarsely chopped California walnuts or almonds
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
2. To peel the peaches, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Using the tip of a small sharp knife, score an X on the bottom of each peach. Add peaches to the boiling water a few at a time, and immerse for 30 seconds only. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into the bowl of ice water. Remove the peach skins with your fingers or a knife, and discard. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, cut the peaches in half and discard the pits; then cut the peach halves into wedges about 3/4-inch thick. (You will have about 7 cups of peach wedges, give or take. The measurement is not crucial.)
3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Add the peaches, the peach juices, and the lemon juice. Toss to coat. Gently mix in the boysenberries. Set aside for 10 minutes to draw out the juices and let flavors blend. If peaches seem exceptionally juicy, add up to 1 more tablespoon of flour. Stir gently once again and scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
4. To make the topping: In a large bowl, stir togetherthe flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the nuts. Add the cold butter and mix, using your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two knives, until thebutter pieces are coated with the dry ingredients and the mixture resembles very coarse meal. Sprinkle evenly over the peach mixture. Place the baking dish on a parchment- or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly-hot, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with ice cream, whipped cream, crème fraiche, or yogurt.Serves 10 to 12.
Cook’s Tips
To toast nuts: spread in a small pan and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
The topping mixture can be made in advance and kept frozen, so you will always be half-way to a seasonal fruit crisp.
Use nectarines instead of peaches, and save yourself the step of peeling them.
I happen to be partial to boysenberries, but vine-ripened blackberries or any of its other cultivars—such as olallieberries, loganberries, and marionberries—are fine substitutes.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!
Leave a Reply