Sweet Peach Cornbread Cobbler and "Seconds"

Every Monday my husband would go to the Farmer’s market, pick up some local produce and fish and whip up a fabulous $2.79 meal. Well, it varied of course depending on what was in season, available and how much cash he hand on hand, but he was sure to let me know that the fabulous cuisine he created was well within our shoe-string budget. Show-off!!

When my husband’s work would no longer avail him the freedom to head out to the morning market, it became my turn and with that I was passed the gauntlet to peach season picks. I was in grad school and thus didn’t have a full-time job to tie me down. Usually toward the end of summer, I was instructed to talk to our local peach farmer and ask for “seconds”. These were overly ripe and perfect for a cobbler (or a smoothie). I’d come back with a crate-ful and after careful observation and plenty of practice, it became my pleasureful duty to make our annual peach cobbler – a recipe adapted from Fog City Dinner.

Always a treat, this yearly tradition has become my specialty and here is the recipe we adapted – lighter with less added sugars, but nonetheless delicious! And now that I have my own little helpers, this recipe makes a wonderful kid-mommy project! And everyone always asks for seconds. That’s why I serve it in tiny ramekins.

For the cornmeal topping:

• 1/4 cup corn meal
• 2 cup reduced fat buttermilk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil (or 1 cup of Smart Balance) 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp of Flax Seeds (+2 Tbsp of water)
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Peach filling:

• 8  cups of peeled, sliced peaches
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon spice
• 1/4 tsp of nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Ready, get started!

Grease a large baking bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Soak corn meal in buttermilk for an hour. Soak flax seeds in water until forms a gel (it will be used as an egg substitute) or use an egg if you prefer.

Whip up the Topping!

In a mixer or food processor, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add gelled flax mixture (or egg).

Sift flour, baking soda, baking power and salt into a bowl.

Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk mixture until all ingredients processed smooth. Set aside.

Time for the filling! My favorite part:

Blanch and peel peaches. Slice into an 8 cup measuring bowl. Add flour, lemon juice and spices.

Put it all together!

Pour peach mixture into baking bowl. Spread cornmeal topping on top and make sure all peaches covered. It should form a seal. Bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until top lightly browned. Serve warm (2 Tbsp of vanilla ice cream on top makes a nice complement). Yields 16 servings. 

Nutrition (Per 1/2 cup serving): Cal 130, Fat 2g, Chol 0mg, Sodium 160mg, Fiber 2g, Sugars 12g, Protein 3g

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