Cowgirl Chef: Use peaches in savory recipes, too

The ice cream itself isn’t that sweet; the caramelized peaches add just the right amount of sugar.

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped into bite-size pieces

1. Warm the cream in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.

2. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add sugar and pinch of salt and mix well.

3. When the cream begins to show tiny bubbles along the side, it’s ready. You don’t want this to boil.

4. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring a little cream into the bowl and whisking quickly — if you’ve got someone to help you pour while you whisk, all the better. Add egg mixture to saucepan and continue to cook for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until the mixture just begins to thicken. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon.

5. Pour the custard into a bowl with a strainer on top to catch any pieces of cooked egg, then whisk in the buttermilk. Cool mixture in an ice bath, then refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until well chilled.

6. While the custard is cooling, make the caramelized peaches. Put the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the sugar melts, add the peaches and keep stirring and cooking until the sugar thickens. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely, then refrigerate.

7. When you’re ready to make the ice cream, simply pour the buttermilk custard into the ice cream maker and freeze according to the directions. When the ice cream is done, transfer it to a separate bowl or shallow container and fold in the peaches. Put this into the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up, then serve right away.

Nutritional analysis per 1/2-cup serving: 402 calories, 27 grams fat, 36 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 144 milligrams cholesterol, 138 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 58 percent of calories from fat.

Who says gazpacho is just for tomatoes? Try this and you’ll be imagining what else you can turn into a cold Spanish-style summer soup. Olé.

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and pits removed
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 4 slices Serrano ham
• 4 grissini (Italian breadsticks)

1. Put the peaches, shallot, breadcrumbs, ground almonds, water, sherry vinegar, olive oil and salt in the blender and puree until the consistency is smooth and uniform. Taste for seasonings. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until cold.

2. Serve with Serrano ham wrapped around grissini, skinny Italian breadsticks.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 646 calories, 46 grams fat, 42 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams protein, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 958 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber, 63 percent of calories from fat.

A summery, Tex-ified take on the classic French bistro salad, chèvre chaud.

• 1/2 of a baguette, split
• 1 log goat cheese, sliced into 1/2-inch discs
• 2 big handfuls of arugula
• 1 ripe peach, pit removed, and sliced
• Peach-chile vinaigrette, recipe follows

1. Heat the oven to broil. Put the baguette halves on a cookie sheet to lightly toast. Watch them carefully so they don’t get too brown.

2. When bread is lightly toasted, take it out of the oven, add a couple of slices of goat cheese to each piece, then put back into the oven so the cheese melts.

3. Meanwhile, divide the arugula and the peach slices between two plates.

4. Add the goat cheese toasts to the salad and drizzle the peach-chile vinaigrette over it all.

Makes about 1 cup

As long as you’re turning on the oven, you might want to double this recipe to have some on hand for the next day or two.

• 1 medium peach
• 2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 Thai chile (or you may use a jalapeño), with seeds
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• Salt to taste

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel the peach, slice it in half, and remove the pit. Put the two halves inside-up on a small cookie sheet and slide into the oven. Roast the peach halves until juices run and begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

2. Put the peaches, along with the rest of the ingredients, into the blender and puree. Taste for seasonings. Keep in the fridge.

Nutritional analysis per serving, using 2 tablespoons vinaigrette per serving: 602 calories, 27 grams fat, 70 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams protein, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 794 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber, 41 percent of calories from fat.

This is a peachy version of the Mediterranean classic. It hits all the right notes with bright lemon, sweet peaches and crunchy, toasted almonds on top. A perfect side for anything grilled or stuffed into a pita and eaten on its own.

• 3 bunches of flat or curly parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 large lemons
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large peaches, peeled, pits removed, and diced
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups cooked couscous (add 1 tablespoon of butter to this while still warm)
• Sea salt and cracked pepper
• 1/3 cup almond slivers, toasted

1. Put everything except the almonds into a large bowl and toss. Taste and let rest for 10 minutes or so.

2. Adjust for seasonings, top with almonds, and serve right away.

Nutritional analysis per serving, based on 6: 177 calories, 11 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 39 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber, 53 percent of calories from fat.