peach bbq sauce

A year ago there was a scandal in the food world. Well, the food world of those who read Bon Appetit magazine religiously as I do. There was a new editor-in-chief who was hired from a well known men's magazine to come in and clean ship. New design, new writers, new style. And boy, was it new. It looked EXACTLY like the magazine he was hired from. I didn't relate to the articles. I didn't care for the look. I wanted my old comfy magazine back!

And worse, there was rumor that the next cover would feature a celebrity, a first for a mag that typically had a dazzling plate of seasonal food on the cover. The celebrity....my gal Gwyneth Paltrow. Her cookbook, much beloved and mentioned here on this blog, had just been released. And while easy to look at, it wasn't as if she was a chef. She was no one in the food world. She was a home cook. Was that the point? The whole "stars: they're just like you and me!" bit? The blogs were in an uproar about yet another change to the magazine's point of view. 

And then the issue arrived in my mail box. I ripped page after page out. GP's recipes, different from her cookbook, were just want I wanted to make. Summer corn soup, fruit salsa with fish, and a delectable sounding peach bbq sauce. 

Change is hard and sometimes it has to be shoved down our throat to be accepted. I got used to the bold typeface and edgy photography. The new writing style which certainly skewed more masculine. After letting my subscription expire I subscribed all over again, now with a fancy free digital version I love to peruse on my iPad. 

But best of all, that controversial edition gave me a new sauce to try. Something easy to whip up and not from a bottle (though there are many GREAT bottled sauces out there). 

All you need is a few fresh peaches, ketchup, lemon, garlic, soy sauce and a little kick of something spicy. GP likes chilies in adobo. I had sriracha on hand this time. 

Chop the peaches and combine them with two minced garlic cloves, a squeeze of lemon, and half a cup of ketchup. I like about a tablespoon of soy sauce and half teaspoon of sriracha. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Add a splash of water or soy sauce to keep it loose if needed. Heat about 10 minutes while peaches soften.

 Put all that into a blender and blend until smooth. Done!

It's tangy but sweet with a spicy kick from whatever hot sauce you choose. GP marinated chicken breasts with half the sauce, grilled them, then topped the chicken with another layer. It's a great variation on the normal bbq sauce and could work on everything from fish to veggies.

Peach BBQ Sauce

from Bon Appetit June 2011

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches or 9-10 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed, chopped
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo or 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless organic chicken breasts
• Vegetable oil
  
• 
  

Preparation

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until peaches are very soft and flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let cool. Pour peach mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place half the sauce in a medium bowl; add the chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.
  
• Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until browned and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Brush on all sides with reserved sauce; grill until glazed and cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Slice crosswise. Serve remaining sauce alongside.