Itap not the “peaches” in Palisade peaches that taste so good; itap the “Palisade.”
Every element of Palisade’s place on Colorado’s Western Slope conspires to produce fruit unlike that from anywhere else: Dry, clear mountain air combined with lofty, closer-to-the-sun orchards allows for intense and unrefracted sunlight. That results in high pigment concentration in both fruit and skin (just like humans who tan poolside).
A constant day-to-night temperature swing — very warm daytimes and super-cool nighttimes — slowly ripens and develops both fruit sugars and flavor molecules, as well as retains fruity acidity, giving a Palisade peach not only luscious sweetness and flavor but also tangy, snappy definition.
Throughout history, the peach has been thought of loftily, its blossom adorning the hair of brides in both China and Japan as a symbol of both virginity and fertility, a floral hat trick if you think about it.
More than 300 varieties of peach grow in the United States alone, while over 2,000 grow globally. Six varieties constitute just over half of Colorado’s famed peach crop, after the near-total dominance of the Elberta peach in earlier years. They are the O’Henry, Redhaven, Glohaven, Suncrest, Red Globe and Cresthaven. (Read more about Colorado crops at .)
Scientists have discovered peach endocarps (fossilized pits) dating back 2.5 million years ago — preceding humans — in Kunming, China, although widespread cultivation there dates back merely (!) to the 10th century B.C.
Despite its Chinese origins, the biological name for the peach is prunus Persica, a reference to its proliferation in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran). It is also a nod to the trade route that carried the peach from China along the Great Silk Road through Persia and onto the West.
What follows are just peachy recipes for DIY Peach and Tuna Poke, a delicious Agrodolce (a sweet-tart jam or “sauce”) made with Palisade peaches and Fresno chiles, and a savory Peach Pilaf to serve alongside a meat, chicken, tofu, or seafood stew (or tajine).
Also, as a reminder that the full name of “guacamole” is “guacamole salad,” is a recipe for Spicy Peach-Accented Guacamole.
DIY Tuna Poke
Makes 2 servings. Source: Bill St. John.
Ingredients
3/4 cup uncooked sushi or glutinous rice
3/4 pound #1- or #2-grade ahi tuna, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice or 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame seed oil
1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes (plain red or Urfa or Aleppo)
1/3 large or 1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, sliced see-through-thin
2 large scallions, sliced into thin rings, white and light green parts only
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Lettuce greens of any sort, chopped or sliced
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds (roasted, white or black, or a mix)
Directions
Cook the rice and, when finished, set it aside, covered with a towel, refrigerated if desired. Put the tuna chunks in a bowl and add the soy sauce or tamari, lime juice or vinegar, sesame seed oil, and pepper flakes. Toss the fish in the dressing and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or up to an hour, again refrigerated if desired.
To a second bowl, add the jalapeño rings, the sliced scallions, and the cilantro leaves and toss together well. When ready to serve, assemble 2 poke bowls or plates by laying down a bed of the lettuce greens in each, then putting 1/2 the cooked rice atop each.
Take the bowl of marinated fish and add the greens from the second bowl, again tossing well so that small bits of scallion, jalapeño and cilantro stick throughout. Arrange 1/2 measure of the fish onto each serving, sprinkling decoratively with the sesame seeds.
Some variations: For a “sweet” seasonal peach and cucumber poke, omit the dried peppers, jalapeño and cilantro and substitute 1 Colorado peach, skinned, pitted and diced, and 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and diced.
To make a “Nicoise poke,” substitute an orange ponzu for the dressing (orange juice and a bit of grated orange zest for the lime juice, plus a splash of rice vinegar), and none of the other ingredients except the scallion. To the bowl, add green bean segments tossed thinly in olive oil, very good oil-cured black olives, hard-cooked eggs, a couple wee, cooked waxy potatoes, some small jewel tomatoes, and use a bed of romaine lettuce.
For a “lunchroom tuna salad” poke, make half the amount of dressing and add 1 heaping tablespoon Kewpie mayonnaise and 1 heaping teaspoon sweet pickle relish, both mixed-in. Exchange chopped flat-leaf parsley for the cilantro, and omit the sesame seeds in favor of large, toasted breadcrumbs or croutons.
Spicy Peach-accented Guacamole
Makes 2 cups. Source: Bill St. John
Ingredients
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 large New Mexican Hatch or Colorado Pueblo chile, charred, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 medium avocados, pitted, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup scallion, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 large ripe Colorado peach, peeled if desired, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips
Directions
Assemble all ingredients in a large bowl and mix and fold. Let the flavors blend for 30 minutes before serving, cool or at room temperature. This is rough-hewn guacamole, not a puréed one. Serve in small bowls or plates with tortilla chips to the side.
Savory Peach Pilaf
Makes 6 cups. Serve this topped with a spicy dal or other “curried” dish or as a side dish with anything you choose: meat, fish, vegetable and so on. Source: Bill St. John.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon ghee, clarified butter or neutral cooking oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala (or yellow curry powder)
1 medium-sized green or red chile pepper, heat level your choice, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed very well, soaked for 30 minutes, then drained
1 large or 2 medium very ripe Colorado peaches, peeled, pitted and crushed into pulp
1/2 cup cashews, preferably unsalted and unroasted, soaked in warm water for 1/2 hour, then drained
1 cup water
Directions
In a thick-bottomed Dutch oven or pot, heat the fat over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, add the garam masala (or curry powder), the minced chile pepper and turmeric and stir well for 30 seconds until everything is fragrant.
Add the drained rice and stir until the grains are coated and begin to take on color, just a couple of minutes at most. Add the crushed peaches, cashews and water and stir well again. Bring everything to a boil, lower the heat to simmering, cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes (a few minutes more at higher elevation) without disturbing.
Turn off the heat and let the pilaf stand for 10 minutes at least (with the lid of the pot still on). Then lift the lid and fluff the pilaf with the tines of a large fork and serve.
Agrodolce of Palisade Peaches and Fresno Chiles
Makes 4 cups. Source: Mark Antonation, former communications manager for the Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation, who writes that this agrodolce is “sweet, tangy and spicy — great with bold cheeses and cured meats on a charcuterie board, or with pork chops. Would probably be great on a pulled pork sandwich. The agrodolce will keep in your fridge for at least a month.”
Ingredients
2 pounds very ripe (preferably Palisade) peaches
6 Fresno chiles
1 cup sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons fruit pectin powder (such as Sure-Jell brand)
Pinch of salt
Directions
Peel peaches (blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then cover in cold water so that the skins just slip off) and dice into small pieces. Remove stems and seeds from chiles and slice into thin rings.
Add vinegar, sugar and pectin to a small pot and bring to a simmer. Add peaches and chiles and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure the mixture doesn’t come to a rolling boil or the sugar could burn on the bottom of the pot.
Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes before spooning the agrodolce into 16-ounce jars. Put lids on the jars and put in your refrigerator. Let it sit overnight or for a day or two before serving.
