|
Juicy obsession
By Becky Billingsley
Originally published in Coastal Carolina Dining magazine
Summer 2004
Get Michael McLaurin talking about McBee peaches, and a fervent spark electrifies his eyes. The words of the owner/chef at Side-Wheeler Restaurant in Conway become poetic, and a sentimental passion comes forth.
“They’re so succulent and sweet,” he said reverently, just before this year’s crop was ripe. “They’re twice the size of the ones you get in the store that are shipped from the West Coast or Florida.”
McLaurin’s juicy obsession started as a child, when he traveled through Chesterfield County to visit family in Rock Hill. The route took him on S.C. 151 through McLeod Farms, near McBee (pronounced MACKbee).
“You go right through the middle of the orchard, and it’s really something to see with all the beautiful pink blossoms,” he said. “They say the peaches there are better because of the red clay. I went through there a few weeks ago and the trees were so laden down with peaches it was unbelievable.”
The chef remembers family members bringing bushels of the golden fruits to the beach for family reunions. He drenched many a shirt because McBees are so soft and succulent, and he has fond memories of hand-cranked peach ice cream and pound cake topped with sugared peach slices.
This year McLaurin is even more excited than usual about peach season, because he heard the crop is going to be especially plentiful and sweet.
It’s true. Patty Hayes of McLeod Farms says this is “…one of the largest crops in quite a few years.”
Even better, due to a lack of rain during a critical phase, McBee peaches will be sugar-sweet.
A little farther west, in Spartanburg County, Adrian Jolley of Jolley Farms said a late frost made his crop slightly smaller and the peaches got ripe a little later than usual. However, he experienced the same dry spell and he is looking forward to extra-sweet fruit.
McLaurin draws pictures in the air as he anticipates the dishes he’ll make with the bushel or so of peaches he’ll use each week through the summer.
“We turn them into sauces. I’ll take them and sauté them, then puree them and add peach brandy. I put that over pork a lot, but it also does real well on fish, especially white fish. And peach shortcake, with peach schnapps Anglaise and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I’ll do cobblers, and fresh peach daiquiris are one of the favorite things at the bar. They might even do a peach martini.
“I might even do some fresh peach ice cream if the crop is as bumper as I think it’s gonna be.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Glazed Peaches
Kim Lloyd, formerly of the Sawgrass Room at Pawleys Plantation
Ingredients: (Entrée, serves 4)
1 pork loin, marinated in olive oil and fresh herbs
4 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 each red and yellow peppers, fine dice
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
Dash of hot sauce
Preparation:
Toss peaches, peppers, onions, sugar and hot sauce. Let sit at least 1 hour for juices to mingle. Grill pork over moderate heat to medium, slice and serve with fresh peach mixture. Enjoy.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grilled Grouper with fresh peach chutney and vanilla cream sauce
Michael McLaurin, Side-Wheeler Restaurant
Ingredients: (Entrée, serves 8)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
9 tree-ripened peaches, divided; cut 1 into wedges and dice the rest
8 7-ounce fresh local grouper filets
Salt and pepper
1 medium red onion, small dice
1 cup good quality white wine
1/2 cup peach brandy
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons raspberry wine vinegar
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Preparation:
In 1 tablespoon butter, sauté one thinly sliced peach until tender; set aside. Lightly season grouper with salt and pepper; place on grill and cook to desired temperature. Add remaining butter to warm sauté pan; add diced peaches, onion, wine, brandy, cumin, sugar, wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until all liquid is evaporated; set aside. Add cream to a sauté pan along with sugar and vanilla extract; cook over medium-high heat until sauce coats the back of a spoon. Place fish in center of plate; top with peach chutney. Spoon sauce around fish; place sautéed peaches in sauce. Top with mint.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Peachberry Princess Torte
Brian Bailey, formerly of Southern Market, which is now closed
Ingredients: (Dessert, serves 8-12)
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean
1 cup sugar
4-6 large ripe peaches
1 9-inch yellow cake
Custard:
1 vanilla bean
1.5 cups sugar
5 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blueberries
Preparation:
Slice peaches into sections. In a large sauté pan heat the water. Meanwhile, split and scrape the vanilla bean and mix with the sugar. Add the sugar to the water and allow to boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes; add the peaches and cook until just tender. Remove, drain and cool.
Line a 9-inch bowl with plastic wrap and arranged the peach slices, slightly overlapping, to line the bowl.
For the custard, split and scrape the vanilla bean and mix with the sugar. Place the sugar and 4 cups milk in a large heavy-bottomed saucepot. While the milk comes to a boil, place the cornstarch in a bowl. Slowly whisk in remaining cup of milk, working to avoid lumps. Mix the yolks into the cornstarch slurry. When the milk boils, add approximately 1/4 of it to the cornstarch slurry, mix smooth and return this to the hot milk. Continue to cook the milk and stir constantly until the custard comes to a boil. Continue stirring while the custard boils for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
Place 1/3 of the custard in the peach-lined bowl and sprinkle in a few of the raspberries and blueberries. Place a round slice of yellow cake over the custard. Add more custard and berries and finish with another layer of cake. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 6-8 hours or overnight. Unmold the cake by inverting onto a serving plate. Garnish with fresh berries and whipped cream.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Baked Fresh Peaches with brown sugar
Jeff Lanzarro, formerly of Thoroughbreds
Ingredients: (Dessert, serves 4)
4 fresh peaches, halved and pitted
4 ounces brown sugar
1 ounce pecans, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 dollops whipped cream
2 cups butter pecan ice cream
Preparation:
Combine sugar, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fill peaches with this mixture. Place peaches in ovenproof pan; bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Put 2 peach halves on each plate; put whipped cream between halves and put 1/2 cup ice cream beside the peaches.
|
