Stewing Peaches is a great solution to transform mealy peaches into something delicious. Add blueberries and it becomes sublime! Summer Stewed Peaches with Blueberries is great as a midday treat at home, or a casually elegant dessert, as peach season comes to an end.
Come late July, August, I usually find myself cooking peaches. After many weeks of enjoying the fresh glorious peaches of the season, a mealy peach comes along. And that just will not do. But all is not lost! There is no need to throw it out. Cook it! Stewing a peach with blueberries only takes a few minutes.
Stewed Peaches are a great improvement for mealy peaches or nectarines (a genetic variant of the peach). In fact, I adore cooked peaches almost as much as the best fresh ripe peaches of summer. It’s wonderful how a little bit of cooking improves the texture and brings out the flavor, transforming an otherwise unseemly peach into deliciousness.
Stew them a little, stew them a lot, whatever your preference for firmness. I like mine on the firm side. But honestly, since they become so flavorful, I’d probably enjoy them even cooked down to peach soup.
Throw in some blueberries. Ohhh, so good! Peaches cooked with Blueberries are an elegant, beautiful and supremely delicious treat.
Other great ways to eat fresh peaches: caramelized peaches and no-cook peach ice cream.
Exactly 2 Ingredients in Stewed Peaches with Blueberries
- a mealy peach: Of course you can use perfectly ripe fresh peaches instead of mealy ones. I just can’t help eating the delicious peaches just as they are.
- a handful of fresh blueberries: We like to cook some of the blueberries with the peaches, and save the rest to scatter fresh on top.
BTW: You may have noticed that peaches can be mealy at any time of the season. A lot of times it has do with temperatures as the peaches continue to ripen after harvest. We usually only begin to start cooking them in late summer though, as we start thinking about the beginning of fall.
And 2 Easy Steps
- Basically, you stew peeled peach wedges in a covered sauce pan until almost to your preferred firmness.
- Then, you add most of the blueberries and continue to cook a few more minutes, until your peaches are how you want them, and the blueberries have begun to release their juices. To serve, I like to scatter fresh blueberries on top.
Serving Tip: Letting the fruit sit covered a few minutes before serving allows the syrup formed on the side of the pan to detach. And this allows your spatula to get, and you to enjoy, every last bit.
About Peaches: Did you Know?
Scientists say that peaches have been growing wild for millions of years. We’re not talking BC, we’re talking BH — before humans! They are said to have originated from, and are widely cultivated in the East, hence its name prunus persica. But Italy, Spain, Greece and the US are also major producers. Peaches have been grown throughout the Mediterranean for at least thousands of years. Spaniards brought them over to the Americas through Florida and Mexico.
Ideas & Substitutions
- Flavor ideas: sprinkle a little chopped fresh rosemary on the peaches while stewing.
- Serve with a little ice cream, mascarpone, whipped cream, ricotta or cottage cheese.
- Other Fruits: Stewing improves sub-standard apricots. Try it for breakfast on toast or in a croissant.
Recipe for Stewed Peaches with Blueberries
Ingredients
- 1 peach, peeled and cut into into wedges
- 1 handful of fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Cook the peach wedges in a covered saucepan over medium heat, to get them going. After a few minutes, adjust the heat down to low to prevent them from burning. Stew them a little or a lot until almost to your preferred firmness.
- Add most of the blueberries during the last few minutes of cooking. Then turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for a few minutes. (This covered rest helps release the natural syrup that the fruit has made from the side of the pan, allowing you to easily scoop up every last bit.)
- To serve, top with fresh blueberries. Enjoy.
