Creative Ideas for Stone Fruit

Stone fruits are at the height of ripeness during this point of the summer season. Peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots are sweet, juicy and tender fruits that are deliciously light and healthy. Here are a few ways to savor their flavor while they're fresh and plentiful.

Peeling stone fruit is easy with this technique. Simply place them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, remove with a spider, and set in ice water to cool. The skin will peel right off with a paring knife. Poach some peeled peaches in a crisp white wine and serve sliced over a bed of leafy greens with a crumble of Roquefort cheese and toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette or a simple squeeze of lemon and olive oil.

Puree peeled, sliced stone fruits and store in a container in the refrigerator. Use the puree to mix with white or sparkling wine for Bellinis, stir into seltzer water for a fresh and light soda, add it to pancake, muffin or waffle batter, or cook it down slowly in a large saucepan until very thick and reduced for a stone fruit "butter."

Peaches, nectarines and plums stand up well to grilling and it lends a pleasant, smoky flavor to their sweet flesh. Cut the fruit in half, remove the pits, and bush with some canola or light olive oil. Place flat side down on the grill for just a couple of minutes. You can grill up a big batch to use over a few days as they keep well in the fridge. Grilled fruit makes a great side dish on its own, or sliced over grilled steaks or pork tenderloin and topped with crumbled blue or feta cheese. They also make a great appetizer; drizzle the fruit with some fresh orange juice, fill the cavity with herbed goat cheese, and wrap it in a slice of prosciutto. Bake at 375 degrees until the prosciutto is browned and crispy.

Hollow out stone fruits and use them as edible containers for yogurt, light ice cream, and lowfat puddings. Vanilla, chocolate, mango and peach flavors go very well with these fruits. You can also slice cored fruit into circles, and layer them on a platter with slices of lean ham and lowfat Swiss cheese for a sweet and savory antipasti platter.

Stone fruits are versatile fruits that go well with sweet or savory dishes. The possibilities are endless, so try a few of these ideas or just bite right into a juicy piece of fruit and let the juice drip down your chin. Life is short, so get messy and enjoy it.