Continuing the focus on fresh fruit, after working with fabulous Ontario plums, I scored a gorgeous basked of Ontario Peaches at the St Lawrence Market last weekend. Wanting to put them to good use, I headed to The Ontario Tender Fruit Producers website for some inspiration (I just love that they are one of my sponsors for IFBC in Seattle this August – nothing I like better than to blog about real foods!).
With company from out of town staying for the weekend, I thought we could enjoy the peaches in both a main dish and, of course, a cocktail. I am a firm believer in fruity drinks, as you can see here and here!
A peach mojito sounded pretty good for the sultry weather…
This was good but did not taste too strongly of peaches. Perhaps this was the idea. In any case, I liked this for what it was – a fruity rum drink! If I had peaches needing to be used up, I would totally make this, however, I really think fresh peaches are too gorgeous to buy and pulverise so I would suggest using some peach pulp/ canned peaches for this one.
Peach Mojitos
Ingredients:
1 lime
1 Ontario peach, peeled and sliced
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup peach juice
3 oz white rum
2 cups ice, crushed
10 mint leaves
1/4 cup carbonated soda
Garnish: Sliced Ontario peaches, Mint leaves
Method:
Squeeze juice from the lime into blender.
Add peach slices, sugar, juice and rum; blend until smooth. Add crushed ice and pulse until combined. Pulse in mint leaves.
Pour into 2 chilled glasses. Add a splash of soda to each drink and garnish with peach slices and mint leaves.
Makes 2 servings.
For the main course, I made a fresh peach salsa to go with an Asian-marinaded tilapia (the recipe calls for halibut but since I am still learning to like fish and blander fish go down better right now, I chose tilapia).
This was a real hit! The marinaded fish stood up to being grilled on the barbecue and the salsa was a lovely burst of freshness, also providing some crunch with the cucumbers. Even a picky 8 year-old declared this “yummy”! I will be making this again, for sure – it’s a great way for me to learn to love fish!
Fish with Zesty Ontario Peach Salsa
Ingredients
Salsa:
1/2 cup pitted and finely diced Ontario peaches
1/3 cup finely diced honeydew melon
1/3 cup finely diced cucumber
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
pinch sugar
2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh chiles, to taste
Halibut:
1-1/2 lb halibut steaks
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp each fish sauce and teriyaki sauce
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Prepare salsa: In a large bowl combine peaches, melon, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, salt, sugar, cilantro and chilies. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Prepare halibut: Place steaks in a re-sealable plastic bag. In a medium bowl, combine garlic, vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, ginger, cilantro, salt and pepper. Add marinade to fish in bag, seal and let marinate in refrigerator for one hour.
Grill fish on the barbecue turning only once, approximately four minutes per side, until cooked. Plate grilled halibut, top with peach salsa or serve on the side.
Serves 4.
I am so enjoying working with fresh Ontario fruit this summer and excited to see what’s coming into season:
Eating Ontario tender fruit in season (approximate dates)
The first baskets of Ontario peaches are available from July 10 to mid-August
Freestone peaches soon follow from August 1 to September 30
Nectarines can be enjoyed July 19 to September 17
Ontario plums, depending on the variety, are available from July 5 to mid-September
Coronation table grapes from August 12 to September 24
Pears, depending on variety, from August 9 to December 31
Expect more fruity goodness on eat. live. travel. write. over the next few months!
Peach mojito sounds wonderful! I could do with one of those in my garden this afternoon.
I could often do with one of these!
Oh yummy. I will be up in Muskoka in a week and I am definitely going to eat some peaches!
I don’t know…those drinks looked pretty darn good to me. I think I’d like them with the fresh peaches because the flavor would be subtle. in any event, both dishes look fantastic.
Yes the subtle flavour was nice, just not sure if that was the idea!
I’m very jealous of your summer produce! Peach is my fav fruits of mine!! Oh summer, come quick!
It’s frustrating reading blogs from the other hemisphere, right?
Peach mojito sounds great! And I love using fruits with food. Very very nice.
Great ideas for using peaches! The salsa is gorgeous.
I agree that both dishes look fantastic. I always make a similar salsa with mango, but peaches would be so much easier! I’m going to try this…
Yes so much easier to cut up!
We get lots and lots of peaches since we’re so close to Georgia, and they are SO good. I think I could have them daily. I love the idea of the peach salsa – sounds like a great addition to fish and probably would make a great side dish on its own for grilled burgers or steaks. And, you KNOW I love the peach mojito idea. 🙂
Yes that salsa definitely has a lot of other uses…
Mmm, peach mojitos. Those look fabulous! I love making bellinis with my peaches.
Oh I love a good bellini too!
Is it peach season already?! Nicely done! A lot of people use Southern Comfort in peach drinks, maybe that would be better than rum? I’m not a big drinker so it’s just an ignorant suggestion, LOL. I love peaches but finding them ripe and ready to eat is not easy! I do bake with them all the time though, that always brings out their natural fabulous flavour.
I am not a fan of SC and I liked this, just wasn’t sure if it was supposed to taste like peaches!
Freshly pulverized peaches and white rum?? That is my kind of cocktail! Perfect on a 100 degree day (like today). Delicious. Very impressive you were able to use peaches in two menu items. We are gigantic fans of tilapia, so I will most definitely try this recipe very soon. Perfect recipe for the summer.
Yes is was a great combination for a hot evening!
mmm…peach mojitos…These would be perfect for this super-hot summer weather and it sounds like you made them perfectly strong! =)
But of course!
That tilapia looks wonderful, and I am so jealous that you can get so much fresh produce! Lucky gal! 😉
Yes it’s a great time of year for fresh fruit!
Wow, I want to come over to your house! What a feast.
I’m LOVING that peach mojito. I want one right now.
Also, the peach salsa looks so great! I actually just made some peach salsa this weekend and canned it. I’m thinking of saving it for the winter when I need a bit of summer!
What a great idea to keep it for the dark days of winter!
love the use of peaches! and great photos. all gorgeous flavours coming together. M, if you dont like fish too much (or are learning to like it) why not start with sea bass? My mum is not a big fan of fish unless it is made the Pakistani, spicy way, so when she used to visit me in Rome, I always ordered the sea bass for her, which went down a treat with her. x shayma
It’s on my list of fish to try as I work my way through…. 😉
One peach mojito please! And can I also have a good measure of warm weather with it? Thank you! 🙂
Oh gosh you can *have* our “feels like 43 degrees with the humidity” weather gladly!
the peach salsa was delicious!! it would be good on grilled chicken too, i’m sure – i will totally make it here at home. the mojito i may try but with the addition of bottled peach juice – i think it needed a little more of peachy kick, but then i am a girl who likes a sweet, fruity drink. 🙂
Me too 😉
Ooh, you’re on a stone fruit roll. Actually, a stone fruit roll sounds pretty tasty. Like a swiss roll but with fruit. Chunks of fruit, that is.
Adding rum to the mix can do nothing but make things better.
A stone fruit roll – yum! When I was little I used to call them “stoned fruits” – now that’s a different story indeed!!
Yum! Peaches are my most favorite and I love fruit salsa with fish.
Yes, it was a new taste for me but I really enjoyed it!
These recipes look wonderful! Peaches have been so sweet and juicy right now… I am going to have to try these out.
You will love the mojito!
Ooh, now you’ve got me craving a cocktail. Looking forward to FINALLY meeting you next weekend!
Me too Kate – cheers!