Preserving Baby Peaches

Ever heard of baby peaches? Me either until about a month ago when I was at Green City Market.  I was making a mad dash on the day before before the Green City Market Chef BBQ Benefit for a few last minute items. I got to the market 10 minutes before it closed and luckily was able to pick up the pickling cucumbers and cipollini onions I needed to pickle for our Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers. As I was paying, I noticed a few bins behind the counter with these little green things in them and had to ask what they were. The farmer said “baby peaches”. I asked what the heck people do with them and he replied some chefs brine or preserve them, kind of like an olive. Since he was packing up for the day and had no takers he offered them to me for free, and I was, of course, ecstatic to take him up on the offer.

I got home and looked online for some recipes and ideas and found very little information about the fruit or the process. So I chose to create two recipes slightly different from anything I found. I did use the canning method they suggested as that seemed consistent. I happen to like them both and would use them very differently. The truffle version would be great with pâté and cheese, the bread and butter version would be great on a BBQ pork sandwich or a veggie tray.

Baby peaches, washed well and pricked with holes (enough to fill a 1 quart Mason jar)

1 tablespoon truffle salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

½ cup cider vinegar

2 slices onion

2 cloves garlic

Put all ingredients into a clean  jar and fill it to the top with boiling water. Put your lid on and let set for a month before eating. Refrigerate after opening.

Bread and Butter Baby Peaches

Baby peaches, washed well and pricked with holes (enough to fill a 2 quart Mason jars)

1 Jalapeno cut in half

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

4 whole allspice

2 bay leaves

4 cups cider vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

1 ½ cup sugar

Fill the jars with the peaches, jalapeno, allspice and bay leaves. Bring vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil stirring until sugar and salt dissolves. Pour vinegar over peaches, if you need more liquid to fill the jar add some boiling water. Put your lid on and let set for a month before eating. Refrigerate after opening.

A couple of things to note: baby peaches do have pits like an olive, but they are way crunchier. I wonder if processing these for 5 minutes might make eating around the pits a bit easier.

Anyone ever worked with baby peaches? Have any good recipes to share? Tips on uses?