
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 14, 1993                   TAG: 9309030373
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

THE PICK OF THE JUICY FRUITS

IN the popular 1940s musical, "Annie Get Your Gun," Annie Oakley and her suitor, Frank Butler, boastfully challenge each other in the song "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." This collection of recipes from Northwest Cherry Growers and Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Peaches casts two luscious fresh fruits - so plentiful right now - in the starring roles. For example, imagine, "Any pie you can make, I can make better," claim the peaches.

"I can do salsa better than you," the cherries retort.

"No you can't." "Yes, I can," and so on with salads and desserts.

There's no denying that juicy, ripe, fresh-picked fruits can set taste buds a' singing. So take advantage of the abundance of fruits available now to sample these delicious entries, then decide for yourself which is the winner. Be warned, though, you may just have to declare the contest a tie.

Fresh peaches and cream pie

3 cups fresh peaches, chopped

1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pastry shell

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 fresh peach, sliced for garnishing

Place 3 cups of peaches in pie shell. Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour and salt. Add eggs and sour cream, stirring until well-blended. Spoon over peaches.

Combine remaining sugar and flour; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. (Using a pastry blender works best.) Sprinkle evenly over pie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with peach slices

Makes 10 servings

Fresh cherry almond pie

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch

6 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted

3 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur

1 9-inch baked pie shell

Coconut crumb topping

COCONUT CRUMB TOPPING:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup coconut

Combine flour and sugar; cut in butter with pastry blender until texture of coarse cornmeal. Stir in coconut.

In medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch; add cherries and liqueur. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens. Spoon into pie shell.

Sprinkle with coconut crumb topping to within 2 inches of center. Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until coconut browns.

Makes 8 servings

Fruit salsas make great accompaniments for poultry or meat. Try the peach salsa over broiled skinless chicken breasts with rice. Or let the tangy cherry salsa spice up a slice of beef or pork roast.

Fresh peach salsa Vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 14.5-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained, chopped

2/3 cup fresh peaches, diced

1/2 cup peach preserves

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro

1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root or 1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Spray medium nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes.

Add next eight ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Keep salsa warm. When ready to serve, remove and discard cinnamon stick.

Fresh cherry salsa 1 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons finely chopped green peppers

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Chop cherries in food processor or manually. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Makes 2 servings.

Fresh peachy pasta salad 1 8-ounce package bow tie or wagon wheel pasta

4 fresh peaches, sliced

1 red bell pepper, slivered

1/3 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

BASIL DRESSING: 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, cook pasta in boiling water until tender. Rinse under cool water and drain well.

In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, peaches, bell pepper, pecans and yogurt.

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour dressing over pasta and toss gently. Refrigerate salad until chilled.

Makes eight servings.

Fresh cherry fruit salad with yogurt dressing

2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted

1 small fresh pineapple, pared and cut into spears

1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into segments

1 orange, peeled and cut into segments

1/2 small honeydew melon, pared and cut into spears

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

ORANGE YOGURT DRESSING: 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons low-calorie mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Combine all ingredients except orange peel and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with orange peel.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Arrange cherries, pineapple, grapefruit, orange and melon on serving dish; sprinkle with almonds. Serve with orange yogurt dressing.

Makes four servings

Blueberries and raspberries also are plentiful now. Here, they pair up with peaches and cherries in two light, refreshing desserts that take just minutes to make, but that look like they took all day.

Fresh peach melba 1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/3 cup orange juice

11/2 cups fresh raspberries

(or 1 10-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed)

3 fresh peaches, peeled

1 quart nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt

Combine sugar, cornstarch and orange juice in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir mixture until thick and bubbly. Add raspberries and heat until warm. Remove sauce from heat and set aside.

Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Place each peach half in a dessert dish. Place one scoop of yogurt (about 1/4 cup) in each half. Top with melba sauce and serve immediately.

Makes four servings

Fresh cherry compote in ginger-orange syrup

2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup pared, cored and chopped Golden Delicious apple

1 orange, peeled, sliced and cut in bite-sized pieces

Tip: One cup pared, seeded and cubed papaya or cantaloupe can be substituted.

GINGER-ORANGE SYRUP: 1 cup water

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

In small saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until reduced by one-half. Cool.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Mix fruit and ginger-orange syrup in a 11/2 quart bowl. Refrigerate about 1 1/2 hours or until chilled.

Makes four to five servings.

by CNB