August 1, 2002

Prairie Fare: Just Peachy

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

The names of some fruits have become descriptive words in the English language. Being the "apple" of someone’s eye is generally a good thing. Buying a "lemon" for a car is not. And you definitely want to be around someone who’s a real "peach."

Peaches were once thought to bestow immortality. Bowls containing the remains of peaches have been found by archaeologists in two-thousand-year-old tombs of Chinese dignitaries.

According to most historians, peaches originated in China and were carried to the rest of the world through Persia, or Iran. In Latin, "peach" translates to "Persian plum." In the 16^th century, Spaniards brought peaches to what is now Florida and Mexico. Now California, Georgia and South Carolina are leading peach producers in the U.S.

Peaches are a healthy addition to the diet. A medium peach contains about 40 to 50 calories and provides vitamin C and fiber, along with a refreshing flavor. Add some variety to your menu by topping cereal, pancakes or ice cream with fresh peaches. Or make a fruit smoothie by blending yogurt, peaches and ice cubes in a blender.

At the grocery store, you may be posed with choosing either "freestone" or "cling" peaches. Most common are free-stone peaches, which have a pit that easily falls out, making canning and fruit preparation fairly easy. The pit in cling peaches is more difficult to remove.

Choose peaches with a characteristic aroma or color, which are free of blemishes and yield to gentle pressure. Ripen peaches by placing them in loose paper bags at room temperature. After they are ripe, they should be refrigerated.

Peaches can be washed and eaten without peeling. If you do not enjoy the "fuzziness" of peach skin on your palate, it’s easy to peel them. Submerge into boiling water for about a half-minute, remove and plunge into cold water.

Peaches can be preserved by canning, making jams, drying or freezing. Peaches contain enzymes that cause browning after the peel is removed, so it’s necessary to use lemon or lime juice or commercial antioxidants to prevent this process from happening during canning or freezing.

Meat with fruit-based accompaniments has become quite popular. Here’s a tasty recipe from the California Tree Fruit Agreement.

Peachy Parmesan Chicken

4 half chicken breasts, boned, skinned
2 Tbsp. dijon-style mustard
1/4 lb. prosciutto (thinly sliced ham may be substituted)
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 c. dry fine bread crumbs
4 Tbsp. melted butter
4 Tbsp. white wine (or substitute chicken broth)
3 medium fresh California peaches, sliced

Pound chicken breasts between wax paper until 1/8-inch thick. Spread mustard on one side of chicken; top with prosciutto or ham. Roll up chicken breast and secure with toothpicks. Mix flour with tarragon. Mix bread crumbs with Parmesan. Dip chicken roll-up in flour mixture, then egg, then in bread crumb mixture. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in 8 x 8-inch ovenproof pan. Put chicken roll-ups in melted butter. Bake in 375 degree oven 20 minutes. Add peach slices. Mix remaining melted butter with wine (or broth); sprinkle over chicken. Bake 15 minutes. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Serve with pan juices. (Prosciutto is found in deli-sections of many grocery stores.) A serving (one roll-up) contains 244 calories, 22 grams fat and 13.1 grams carbohydrate.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu