Welcome to stone fruit season

Whether you like them sweet or savoury, it’s time to enjoy seasonal peaches, nectarines and cherries

Stone fruit like peaches and cherries are a hallmark of summer menus. Here are tips and recipes to get the most out of them while they’re still in season.

Summer wouldn’t be the same without juicy, sweet peaches, cherries and plums. With peak season for stone fruit in full swing, this is the perfect time to enjoy these beauties to their fullest.

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Picking, storing and enjoying stone fruits requires care so you get them at their best rather than the disappointment of mealy, flavourless produce. Stone fruit, including avocados and mangoes, are called drupes — fruit with a single pit in the centre. With the exception of cherries, drupes continue to ripen once harvested.

You can buy apricots, plums, peaches and nectarines while they are still slightly firm and ripen them on your counter for two to three days.

Choose wisely, however. If they’re picked too early, they’ll stay hard forever. Instead, choose slightly under-ripe drupes during peak season.

Cherries do not continue to ripen or become any sweeter. What you buy is what you get. In addition to ripeness, look for vibrant colour, a gentle give when pressed near the stem and a sweet, pleasant aroma. Avoid fruit that is bruised, wrinkly, overly soft or too green.

Storage

Storing drupes correctly is just as important as selecting them. If they are under-ripe, store them on the counter until ripe. To speed the process, put them in a paper bag.

When stone fruit is fully ripe, store it in the refrigerator to slow further ripening. Fruit will start to lose moisture in the refrigerator, so plan to eat or freeze it within a few days.

Store it unwashed and uncovered to allow for air circulation and prevent moisture build up.

Ripe stone fruit is ideal for freezing, canning or even dehydrating. To freeze, simply wash, remove the pits, slice and flash freeze in a single layer on a tray before moving to an airtight container or bag.

For information on jamming, canning or dehydrating stone fruit, follow best practices from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

On the menu

You can enjoy stone fruits fresh on their own or try them in various sweet and savoury dishes.

Baked treats like muffins, tarts, pies, cobblers, flans and cheesecakes are a great way to enjoy stone fruit, even those that are a little overripe or mealy. Saucy compotes are another great option, one that can be used to top pancakes, waffles or ice cream.

If the fruit has flaws or is overripe, bring out the blender. They’re a delicious addition to smoothies, assuming you take the pits out first.

On the savoury side, try combining creamy, salty cheese, fresh herbs, a drizzle of sweet honey or balsamic vinegar with stone fruit on top of grilled meats, pizza, salads or flat breads.

They also make a tasty addition to salsas and chutneys. Whether it’s a fresh salsa or cooked chutney, diced stone fruit with onions, herbs and spices is always a winning combination.

Peaches and nectarines also lend themselves to the grill. Brush halved or sliced peaches or nectarines with oil and grill for two to three minutes per side. Use them to top savoury dishes like pork chops or on top of ice cream or yogurt.

Here’s a tasty recipe to try this summer.

Grilled peach and corn salad with Cajun shrimp

In the height of peach season, this salad is a perfect go-to meal. Grill peaches on the barbecue to heighten the sweetness and lock in juiciness.

Ingredients

Salad:

24 large prawns, raw, shelled, deveined, tails left on
2 cobs of corn
4 peaches, sliced into quarters
3 green onions, chopped
1 head green leaf lettuce, washed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt

Marinade:

3 tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp Cajun spice
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
Lemon vinaigrette
2/3 cup canola oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Add shrimp, toss to coat and place in fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat barbecue to 300 F (150 C).
Lightly brush corn and peaches with canola oil and season with salt and pepper.
Once barbecue reaches temperature, lay grill mat on one side. Place shrimp on grill mat and the corn and peach quarters, cut side down, on the grill side.
Grill uncovered until corn and peaches are browned, turning to brown all sides, three to five minutes. Prawns will take about two minutes per side, or until pink and cooked through. Remove corn, peaches and prawns and place on a platter.
Let corn cool slightly. Cut kernels from cob then set aside.
In a small bowl, or jar with a lid, combine dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss lettuce and green onions with lemon vinaigrette. Divide salad among plates. Top with prawns, corn kernels, quartered peaches and sliced avocado. Drizzle with more dressing.