Recipe Talk

Mc Call's Cooking School's Fresh Peach Kuchen AKA Fresh Peach Crumb Or Struesel Bars

Some people even call these "fresh peach
crumb bars."

FRESH PEACH KUCHEN

Ingredients:

Boiling water
2 lb ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
(about 6) or
2 1/2 pkg. (10-oz. size) frozen sliced
peaches, drained
2 tablespoons lemon juice

KUCHEN BATTER

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup butter or regular margarine,
melted

Topping Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Sweetened whipped cream or soft
vanilla ice cream

Pour enough boiling water over peaches in
large bowl to cover. Let stand 1 minute to
loosen skins; then drain, and plunge into
cold water for a few seconds to prevent
softening of fruit. With paring knife, pare
peaches; place in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 400F. Sprinkle peaches with
lemon juice to prevent darkening. Slice into
the bowl; toss to coat with lemon juice; set
aside. Onto sheet of waxed paper, sift flour
with the sugar, baking powder, and salt. In
large mixing bowl using fork, beet eggs with
milk and lemon peel.

Add flour mixture and melted butter, mixing
with fork until smooth -1 minute. Do not
overmix. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, or
a 9 inch round layer-cake pan. (If cake pan
is used, kuchen must be served from pan.)
Turn batter into pan; spread evenly over
bottom. (At this point, kuchen may be
refrigerated several hours, or until about
1/2 hour before baking.) Combine sugar and
cinnamon; mix well.

Drain peach slices; arrange on batter,
around edge of pan, fill in center with 5
peach slices. Sprinkle evenly with sugar-
cinnamon mixture. Bake 25 minutes. Remove
kuchen from oven. With a fork, beat egg yolk
with cream.

Pour over peaches. Bake 10 minutes longer.
Cool 10 minutes on wire rack. To serve,
remove side of springform pan. Serve kuchen
war, cut into wedges, with sweetened whipped
cream or soft vanilla ice cream. Makes 8 to
10 servings.

Souce:McCall's Cooking School

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PEACH COBBLER

Peach Filling Ingredients:

3 lb fresh ripe peaches or 2 cans (1
lb., 14 oz. size) sliced peaches
Water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (cut
into tiny pieces)

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
(softened)
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Vanilla ice cream or light cream or half-and-
half

Prepare Peach Filling:

If using fresh peaches, bring 2 quarts water
to a boil in a 3 quart saucepan. Gently add
peaches; blanch for 15 to 20 seconds. With
slotted utensil, remove from water, cool and
peel. Cut peaches in half; discard pits. Cut
peaches into thick slices (5 cups).

If using canned peaches, drain and reserve
1/4 cup liquid. Put fresh or canned peaches,
1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon
juice, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon
and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.

Add 1/4 cup water if using fresh peaches or
the 1/4 cup reserved peach liquid if using
canned peaches. Mix peach mixture gently
with a wooden spoon and transfer to an 8 x 8
x 2 inch baking dish. Dot with 2 tablespoons
butter. Preheat oven 375F.

Prepare Topping:

Put 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon
baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4
tablespoons softened butter and eggs in a
small bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until
topping is smooth. Spread topping, with back
of wooden spoon, over Peach Filling, trying
to space topping evenly.

Place Peach Cobbler on center rack in
preheated over and bake for 50 minutes or
until peaches are tender and the crust is a
light golden brown. Remove from oven to wire
rack and let stand for about 30 minutes to
cool slightly.

To Serve:

Using a large spoon, gently scoop the Peach
Filling along with some of the cake topping
into individual serving dishes. Top with a
scoop of ice cream or pass pitcher of light
cream or half-and-half to pour over cobbler.
Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Source:McCall's Cooking School

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Mc Call's Cooking School's Chicken Breasts
Tarragon

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken breasts (about 1 lb.
each)
2 Tablespoons salad or olive oil
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine
8 shallots, chopped
2 pared carrots, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon or 2
teaspoons dried tarragon leaves
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh chopped chervil or
1/2 teaspoon dried chervil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup light cream
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 lb. mushrooms, washed, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
sprigs of fresh tarragon

1. To bone chicken breasts: Wash and dry.
Place, skin side down, on large cutting
board. With sharp knife with a thin, 6-inch
blade, just cut through membrane that covers
breast bone. Bend breast back to break bone
and cartilage. With fingers, remove bone.

2. On one side of breast, insert tip of
knife under rib bone, and cut free from
meat. Cut meat torn from rib cage; remove
rib cage. Repeat on other side. Scrape
flesh away from wishbone; remove wishbone.
Loosen the tendons on either side of breast,
and pull out.

3. Remove skin; cut breast in half. In 6-
quart Dutch oven, heat oil and 2 Tablespoons
butter. Add chicken breasts (half at a
time, enough to cover bottom of pan);
saute,' turning on all sides, until brown.
Remove chicken as it browns. Brown rest of
chicken.

4. To drippings in Dutch oven, add shallot
and carrot; saute,' stirring 5 minutes, or
until golden. Return chicken to Dutch oven;
heat. When hot, slightly heat cognac in
ladle, and ignite. Add white wine, the
chopped tarragon and chervil, salt and
pepper.

5. Bring to boiling; reduce heat, and
simmer gently, covered, 30 minutes. Remove
chicken to heated serving platter; keep
warm. Strain drippings in Dutch oven. In
small bowl, combine cream, egg yolk and
flour; mix well with wire whisk.

6. Stir into drippings in Dutch oven; bring
just to boiling, stirring. Add more wine if
sauce seems too thick. Meanwhile, saute'
mushrooms in hot butter 5 minutes, until
tender. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish
with tarragon and mushrooms.

Serves 6

Source:Mc Call's Cooking School