Peche Season

            It was a beautiful day here on the edge of Africa.  Spring rains and winds have let up and today was sparkling, brilliant, warm, breezy.  We got on our bicycles and rode to the beach, just the way we imagined we would do last summer when we were in the US and packing out for this life.  There, we bought new bikes and beach towels and sent them in our shipment, but those things didn’t reach us until well after we were out of time and summer to enjoy the beach.  My bike, an Electra Townie, is a cool step through.  You just walk into it and start pedaling.  You can ride this bike in a skirt, and I did.  We went to the beach and lay on rocks, like seals, and watched young men play soccer on the sand and terns do straight dives into the sea to attempt a catch of some dinner. 

            This morning, at the market, I found, finally, fresh thyme plants and also the new season of fruits:  peaches, apricots, and plums.  I decided to cook up a pork rib roast with a thyme and breadcrumb crust, alongside a peach and sage chutney. 

            Beginning with the pork rack, the process is beaten eggs, flour, back to the eggs, and then the crust mixture, which is bread, garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper whirled in the food processor.  Bake the rack at 350 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Peach Chutney

Makes 2 ½ cups

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 shallots, finely diced

1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 ½ pounds fresh peaches, blanched and diced

½ cup sugar

¼ cup white wine

½ cup cider vinegar

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Melt butter, add garlic, shallot, sage, and peppers and sweat for 1 to 2 minutes, add diced peaches.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, add sugar, deglaze with white wine and vinegar and allow to cook on low heat until peaches are soft.  Season with salt and pepper.

 There were a couple of jars for the pantry.