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Mar 6, 2008 6:00 am US/Eastern
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Tony Tantillo: Peaches
(CBS)
Well today's tip of the week is going to be with peaches coming in from Chile. Obviously they're coming from Chile— it's wintertime—so they're not peaches from around here; from California, or Georgia, or any state that grows peaches.
They've been around for awhile, so the crop is starting to turn a little bit in portions of Chile, so some varieties are OK, and some are not that good at all, but what I've seen in the market so far is pretty good. In a few weeks that may all change, it may be hard to find a good one, but what's out there now is good.
Don't compromise at all when buying these peaches, because if you do, when you bite into them; mealy, terrible… forget it!
Come over here and take a look at what you have to do to buy them.
You want to make sure they have a beautiful color all the way around free from any shriveling whatsoever. The red and the yellow, and the less green the better.
In the palm of your hand give them a gentle squeeze. When they have a nice give to 'em, that's when they're ready to enjoy.
When you bring them home, simply store them on the counter. Now remember, they come from Chile, thousands of miles away, so buy them and enjoy them in 3 – 5 days. Any longer then that if you hold peaches this time of year from Chile on the counter, they'll go from sweet and juicy to mealy. That's right, they'll start to turn on you right on the counter and they get dry: you don't want any peaches like that.
Peaches from Chile, they're out there, but do not compromise on the quality. You can still enjoy them, a taste of summer in the wintertime; that's a good thing.
Veal Chops with Spiced Peaches
You could also use center-cut loin pork chops for this dish but in smaller portions if you want the fat and calories to be comparable. Add more sugar if the peaches aren't especially sweet.
Serves 4.
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt
4 firm but ripe small peaches peeled, and quartered, or 2 large peaches;
cut in eighths
4 loin veal chops on the bone, each about 9 ounces
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil spray
3 tablespoons Tony Tantillo balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix allspice, cayenne, mace, and sugar with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Put peaches in a small bowl. Add seasoning mixture and toss a few times. Set aside.
2. Season chops well with salt and pepper. Coat a nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray and put over medium-high heat. Brown chops 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a shallow baking dish.
3. Reduce heat in the skillet to medium, add peaches, and cook 2 minutes, stirring a few times. Meanwhile, mix Tony Tantillo balsamic vinegar, orange juice, and almond extract in a small cup. Add to the pan and raise heat to high, stirring 2 minutes.
4. Pour peaches and sauce on the chops. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove and keep chops and peaches warm. Put liquid in the same skillet over high heat, stirring until just syrupy, about 3 to 4 minutes. (You can add a bit more sugar here if you want a little sweeter sauce.) Top each chop with 4 peach wedges and pour sauce over. Sprinkle on chives if desired.
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