Golden Queens are one of the last peach varieties of the season.
These old-timers may have irritating clingstones and they can spoil in the fruit bowl as soon as your back is turned but they are hard to beat for flavour. Here’s what to do with them before they disappear again at the end of March.
Breakfast barbie
On a lovely warm weekend, start your day with something easy cooked on the barbie: French toast made with spiced fruit muffins, grilled peaches and a drizzle of orange syrup, maybe?
Grilled peaches on french toast
Peel and preserve
Golden queens make the best old-school preserves. The trick is to get them when they are just ripe. Press them gently and when they give slightly you’ll know all is well. The skins should peel off easily when blanched. When bottling, the higher the sugar content, the longer your preserves will last. It’s a trade-off.
Preserved peaches with cardamom
Sweet and savoury
Slice or cube golden queens to enliven a poached chicken salad. Try them spiced with ginger, cinnamon, star anise, soy and honey in Angela Casley’s Asian roast chicken. Slice and cook them to make a sticky, balsamic-glazed sauce to serve with pork chops. Or cube them raw into a salsa with basil, chilli, tomato, finely diced onion, lemon or lime juice. Just the thing with barbecued chicken, pork or even duck.
Duck, farro, crispy sage and peach salad
