It's late August and that means the peaches are here. Lots of them. I love peaches, so I always buy a basket, and then... Then most of them grow moldy sitting on the kitchen counter.
But this week I offer a two-fer, two easy ways to use up a lot of peaches.
Start with a dessert recipe: Peach Sorbet. We've had this one in the form of a yellowed newspaper clipping taped into a recipe binder for over twenty years. We'd forgotten it was there until last week. Then we rediscovered it and made it for company. I say "we" because my wife is the sorbet maker at our house.
Peel and pit 10 medium-sized peaches. I find peaches easier to peel if you pour boiling water over them in a large bowl. After about a minute, drain off the hot water. Slice around the circumference of the peach and the skin should slide right off. Cut the peaches into slices.
Bring 2 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar, and 2 ounces of freshly-squeezed lemon juice to a boil in a large pot. Add the peaches. Reduce heat, and poach about 10 minutes, until the peaches are soft.
If you have a hand blender, purée the peaches right in the pot. Otherwise, remove the peaches to a blender or food processor and purée. Return the puréed peaches to the syrup in the pot and mix thoroughly.
Pour into a large shallow pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for about 12 hours. You could also pour into molds, or ice cube trays. Makes about 10-12 servings. Leftovers keep well, covered, in the freezer for a week.
When ready to serve, let soften a little on the counter and scoop, scrape, or cut into cubes. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is optional.
I mentioned this was a two-fer. You can also make a great cocktail from this: the Peach Daiquiri. To a blender, add 2 ounces of white rum, 1 ounce of freshly-squeezed lime juice, and about 6, 1-inch cubes of the peach sorbet. Blend for about 10 seconds and pour into a Margarita glass.
I have a wicked good Peaches 'n' Cream Pie recipe too. If you're interested, I'll share it next week.
Showing posts with label rum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rum. Show all posts
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Adding Some Mojo to Your Mojito
The Mojito is one of those older cocktails that has become very popular of late, turning up on drinks menus everywhere. It's a long drink, a combination of rum, lime juice, sugar, and mint. It does require a little extra effort, as you'll see, but it's well worth it.
It originated in Cuba, where, before refrigeration, the addition of mint lent a cooling sensation to the mixture of rum, lime juice, and sugar, basically the recipe for British Navy Grog (hence the term "limeys" for British sailors). The same effect is credited for the presence of mint in the American Mint Julep, and some authorities (American?) believe the Mojito was inspired by the Julep. The availability of ice and soda water gave the drink its present form, and while Hemingway preferred the Daiquiris at La Floridita, he drank his Mojitos at La Bodeguita.
You'll need to make some simple syrup to start. Since sugar is difficult to dissolve in cocktails, bartenders use simple syrup. It's easy to make: heat equal parts water and white sugar (say 1 cup of each) until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool, and store in a clean glass bottle in the fridge. It'll keep a week or two.
In your cocktail shaker, combine 2 ounces of white rum (Bacardi is a good choice, but a real Cuban rum, like Havana Club, will make your Mojito taste closer to the original), 1 ounce of freshly-squeezed lime juice, and 1 ounce of simple syrup. Then add a sprig of mint, one with, say, 4 or 5 leaves.
About the mint. Many people have it growing in their gardens, and if it's a variety you like the taste of, it'll work fine. But if you're trying to replicate an authentic Hemingway hangover, there is a Cuban variety specifically for Mojitos. It's available at Richter's Herbs in Goodwood and is called, ahem, Mojito Mint. Or you can ask me for some. Like all mint, it grows profusely and spreads rapidly.
Muddle these ingredients in the bottom of the shaker. To muddle means to mash fruit or herbs to extract their juice and/or flavour. You can buy a muddler in kitchen stores; it looks like a pestle in a mortar and pestle, same idea. Or simply use the back of a wooden spoon.
Now add some ice, about half a cup. Shake until chilled and pour over ice in a Collins glass. Top with a few ounces of club soda and garnish with a second sprig of mint. Sip through a straw and imagine old Havana.
That's the basic Mojito, but of course there are variations if you want to add some mojo to your Mojito. If you have some fresh or frozen raspberries, muddle a few of them in there too for a Raspberry Mojito. Or use one of the many varieties of flavoured rums.
One variation, and it was actually my introduction to the Mojito in Key West a few years ago, is the Vanilla Mojito. It's made with Cruzan Vanilla Rum, of course, but also without the addition of the splash of soda at the end. Use about a cup of ice in your shaker and after shaking until very well chilled, strain into a martini glass. More like a Mint Daiquiri really, I've seen this variation in a few places. You could, of course, make this style of Mojito with any variety of rum, but if using a sweetened flavoured rum, reduce or omit the simple syrup.
¡Viva Cuba!
It originated in Cuba, where, before refrigeration, the addition of mint lent a cooling sensation to the mixture of rum, lime juice, and sugar, basically the recipe for British Navy Grog (hence the term "limeys" for British sailors). The same effect is credited for the presence of mint in the American Mint Julep, and some authorities (American?) believe the Mojito was inspired by the Julep. The availability of ice and soda water gave the drink its present form, and while Hemingway preferred the Daiquiris at La Floridita, he drank his Mojitos at La Bodeguita.
You'll need to make some simple syrup to start. Since sugar is difficult to dissolve in cocktails, bartenders use simple syrup. It's easy to make: heat equal parts water and white sugar (say 1 cup of each) until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool, and store in a clean glass bottle in the fridge. It'll keep a week or two.
In your cocktail shaker, combine 2 ounces of white rum (Bacardi is a good choice, but a real Cuban rum, like Havana Club, will make your Mojito taste closer to the original), 1 ounce of freshly-squeezed lime juice, and 1 ounce of simple syrup. Then add a sprig of mint, one with, say, 4 or 5 leaves.
About the mint. Many people have it growing in their gardens, and if it's a variety you like the taste of, it'll work fine. But if you're trying to replicate an authentic Hemingway hangover, there is a Cuban variety specifically for Mojitos. It's available at Richter's Herbs in Goodwood and is called, ahem, Mojito Mint. Or you can ask me for some. Like all mint, it grows profusely and spreads rapidly.
Muddle these ingredients in the bottom of the shaker. To muddle means to mash fruit or herbs to extract their juice and/or flavour. You can buy a muddler in kitchen stores; it looks like a pestle in a mortar and pestle, same idea. Or simply use the back of a wooden spoon.
Now add some ice, about half a cup. Shake until chilled and pour over ice in a Collins glass. Top with a few ounces of club soda and garnish with a second sprig of mint. Sip through a straw and imagine old Havana.
That's the basic Mojito, but of course there are variations if you want to add some mojo to your Mojito. If you have some fresh or frozen raspberries, muddle a few of them in there too for a Raspberry Mojito. Or use one of the many varieties of flavoured rums.
One variation, and it was actually my introduction to the Mojito in Key West a few years ago, is the Vanilla Mojito. It's made with Cruzan Vanilla Rum, of course, but also without the addition of the splash of soda at the end. Use about a cup of ice in your shaker and after shaking until very well chilled, strain into a martini glass. More like a Mint Daiquiri really, I've seen this variation in a few places. You could, of course, make this style of Mojito with any variety of rum, but if using a sweetened flavoured rum, reduce or omit the simple syrup.
¡Viva Cuba!
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