There is something about peaches and summertime, the two go together like the proverbial peas and carrots. The fuzziness of the peach skin hiding that golden nectar filled flesh, it just speaks of sunshine and lazy days.
So how can you improve on a partnership like that? The peach/summer time thing just has to be it doesn’t it? Well maybe not, when you add raspberries you get the classic peach melba taste and that is something special in its own right. It is the summer time paring and the added burst of raspberries, yes there can be improvements to this peachy perfection and mine is with the addition of pistachios.
Pistachios are one of my favourite nuts and they send me right back to my years of working as a holiday rep on the Greek islands. You never got crisps etc in bars and tavernas, always little bowls of pistachios in their shells. I’d never had these nuts before and I fairly fell on them with gusto and became an instant addict. You could always tell how long a chat session lasted at the bar by the size of the nut shell pile. A good conversation would merit a veritable mountain of shells, while a quick chat only merited a molehill.
It is always a bit like unwrapping a present when you tackle a pistachio. Will that quirky little shell give up its prize easily or will it be a struggle to get at that inner goodness. And oh when you do get in there, the colour of the nut itself, that wonderous vibrant spring green. No wonder paint charts use it as a name, pistachio green, aah it sounds good enough to eat.
So there is my perfect peachy perfection add on – pistachios, and this peach and pistachio jam is a real summer time treat that you can carry on into the colder months ahead.
An easy jam to make, peach and pistachio jam will soon become a firm favourite in your larder. Spread it on toast, on scones or better yet just dollop it on to plain yogurt or ice0cream for summer madness at any time of year.
Here is how to make your peach and pistachio jam;
1 kilo/2 1/4lb ripe peaches
500g/1lb 2oz jam sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
50g/2oz shelled and chopped pistachios
2 tbsp brandy
Plunge the peaches into boiling water for 30 seconds and then into cold water to losen the skins and make them easier to peel. Peel and chop into small pieces.
Mix the chopped peaches with the sugar and lemon juice and leave to mascerate for at least an hour, or better still overnight.
In a heavy based pan cook the mixture gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring it up to a boil and let it bubble for 20 minutes.
Add the chopped pecans and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the setting point has been reached.
Skim off any foam and allow to cool slightly before adding the booze and stirring through.
Ladle into sterilised jars.
As there is not a lot of sugar in this jam use it within a month or store in your freezer in freezer bags and then decant into a pretty jar to serve and store in the fridge using within 2 weeks once opened.
This recipe should make 2 medium sized jars.
Enjoy a taste of summer sunshine.
Karon x
- 1 kilo/2¼lb ripe peaches
- 500g/1lb 2oz jam sugar
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 50g/2oz shelled and chopped pistachios
- 2 tbsp brandy
- Plunge the peaches into boiling water for 30 seconds and then into cold water to losen the skins and make them easier to peel. Peel and chop into small pieces.
- Mix the chopped peaches with the sugar and lemon juice and leave to mascerate for at least an hour, or better still overnight.
- In a heavy based pan cook the mixture gently over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bring it up to a boil and let it bubble for 20 minutes.
- Add the chopped pecans and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the setting point has been reached.
- Skim off any foam and allow to cool slightly before adding the booze and stirring through.
- Ladle into sterilised jars.
- As there is not a lot of sugar in this jam use it within a month or store in your freezer in freezer bags and then decant into a pretty jar to serve and store in the fridge using within 2 weeks once opened.
- This recipe should make 2 medium sized jars.
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