It’s peach week in Napa Valley. My husband and I were struggling to keep up with the fruit from our own tree when a friend gave me some of hers. I was feeling a bit desperate about all our softening peaches when I saw this glistening conserve in my Facebook feed. The woman who posted it, an acquaintance who has attended my cheese classes, said she made it to go with cheese. Bingo. She sent the recipe, I made it immediately and now I’m eating the conserve straight from the jar. What a super companion for fresh chèvre or aged goat cheese, Cheddar, Gouda or blue cheese. In fact, if there’s a cheese this divine conserve won’t complement, I can’t think of it.
Thanks to Roxanne O’Brien, a retired community college culinary instructor, for sharing the recipe, which she found in a recent special issue on preserving from Better Homes & Gardens. I cut back on the pistachios (the original recipe calls for 1 cup), boosted the wine vinegar and added the brandy.
Goat Lady Dairy’s Providence
The cheese pictured above is Stepladder Creamery Ventana. As you’ll read if you click on the link, I played a bit part in its origin story. Alas, it’s a limited release. Goat Lady Dairy Providence is comparable, but this niche (aged American goat cheese with a natural rind) remains much too small in my view.
Peach Honey Pistachio Conserve
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Preserving.
1/2 cup shelled raw pistachios
5 cups peeled, pitted and chopped ripe peaches (about 5 medium peaches)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 cup diced dried apricots (1/4-inch dice)
Ground cardamom to taste
Brandy to taste (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pistachios until lightly colored, about 8 minutes. (Watch carefully!) Let cool completely, then chop coarsely.
In a 6 to 8 quart heavy pot combine the peaches, honey, water and vinegar. Using a potato masher, slightly crush the peaches. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the sugar and dried apricots. Return to a boil uncovered, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer uncovered until the mixture has a jamlike texture, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. To taste for doneness, spoon a small amount onto a chilled saucer. (I put the saucer in the freezer for a few minutes to chill it.) When the conserve is as thick as you like, remove from the heat and stir in the toasted pistachios, cardamom and brandy, if using.
Refrigerate if you intend to use it within a couple of weeks. For longer keeping, ladle the hot conserve into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes.
Makes 6 half pints