Of course we've had peach cobbler, peaches on ice cream, and a rustic peach tart (above).
But this year I decided to try tershi, or Afghani-style pickled peaches.
With hot-pepper flakes, coriander, mint, garlic, and apple-cider vinegar, the results are puckery indeed—a bit much to just eat from the jar (though Jonathan did, to humorous results).
Last night I made whole wheat fettucini with turkey and sautéed onions, garlic, and celery with dried cranberries and half a jar of chopped pickled peaches and a dollop of the juice. The savory turkey, onions and garlic went very well with the sweet-tart pickles and cranberries—and the colors are really lovely as well.
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Recipe By: Mark Bittman (How to Cook Everything)
Ingredients:
2 lbs. peaches, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 cups white or white wine vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 teaspoons dried mint
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
Directions:
Put the salt, the vinegar, sugar, and spices in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then let cool for about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture over the peaches and let cool to room temperature. (Add more vinegar or water if the cucumbers are not covered.)
Transfer the peaches and pickling liquid to airtight jars or containers; store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days or longer for stronger pickles. They will keep in their pickling liquid for up to 3 weeks.
Notes:
My first batch was made with very ripe peaches; they would do better with ever-so-slightly under-ripe fruit, so their structure holds up and yields a slightly crunchier texture.