Fresh, underripe peaches don’t have to be a disappointment — in fact, they’re the secret to this bright and refreshing Green Peach Salad, a clever recipe that turns the hardest, most unforgiving fruit into something truly delicious. Inspired by Genius Recipes and loved for its simplicity, this salad uses firm green peaches that hold their shape beautifully through peeling, slicing, and tossing . A quick maceration with sugar and salt draws out their juices and softens them just slightly, creating a naturally sweet dressing base.
Finished with peppery olive oil, fresh mint, and black pepper, it’s a vibrant, summery dish that proves you really can make a silk purse from a sow’s ear . Perfect with grilled meats, fish or poultry, or as a fresh side on warm days, this salad is a delicious way to make the most of underripe peaches!!
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) un-ripened peaches
- 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 TBS good quality extra virgin olive oil (I like the Greek, it has a great peppery flavour)
- 2 TBS fresh mint leaves, cut crosswise chiffonade
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Un‑ripened peaches (1 kg / 2.2 lbs) Hard, underripe peaches are essential for this salad. Their firm texture holds up beautifully to peeling, slicing, and tossing without turning mushy or collapsing under the dressing. In fact, the harder the better — they stay intact and absorb the seasoning without losing shape.
Sugar (50g / ¼ cup) The sugar helps the peach slices macerate, drawing out their juices and softening them just enough. It also balances the natural tartness of green peaches and creates a lightly sweet, glossy coating.
Fine sea salt (½ tsp) Salt enhances the peach flavour and works with the sugar during maceration to coax out more juice. It also sharpens the overall taste of the salad, making every ingredient pop.
Extra virgin olive oil (2 tbsp) A peppery, good‑quality olive oil adds richness and creates the dressing when combined with the peach juices. It smooths out the sweetness and ties all the flavours together.
Fresh mint leaves (2 tbsp, chiffonade) Mint brings a bright, cooling freshness that contrasts beautifully with the tart peaches. Cutting the leaves into a chiffonade keeps them delicate and prevents bruising.
Freshly ground black pepper (½ tsp) Pepper adds a gentle warmth and a savoury edge, balancing the sweetness and giving the salad a subtle complexity.
- Blanch the peaches for 2 minutes in a bowl of boiling water. This makes them much easier to peel. The peels should just slip off. Make a slice all the way around the middle of the peach and twist, it should pull apart very easily. Remove and discard the pits. (All you need is a large deep bowl of boiling water. You could also use a saucepan. Its up to you.)
- Cut into wedges and drop into a bowl. Add the sugar and salt, giving it all a good swish to combine. (Make sure the wedges are not overly large.)
- Set aside to macerate for 10 to 15 minutes. (This enables the fruit to give up it's juices.)
- At the end of that time, add the olive oil, mint and pepper. Toss together to coat and serve. This salad should be eaten on the day. (It will keep for a few hours, but not much longer than that.)
Use the hardest peaches you can find This salad is designed for underripe, rock‑hard peaches — they hold their shape beautifully and won’t collapse under the dressing .
Blanching makes peeling effortless A quick 2‑minute blanch in boiling water helps the skins slip right off without fighting them .
Twist to separate the peach halves cleanly After peeling, slice around the peach and twist — the halves should come apart easily, making pitting simple and tidy .
Let the peaches macerate properly Don’t rush this step. The sugar and salt need 10–15 minutes to draw out juices and soften the fruit just slightly, creating the base of the dressing .
Use a good, peppery olive oil A high‑quality extra‑virgin olive oil adds richness and depth. The recipe specifically recommends Greek olive oil for its peppery flavour .
Cut mint into chiffonade — never chop Rolling the leaves and slicing thinly keeps them delicate and prevents bruising. Chopping soft herbs makes them blacken and lose freshness .
Serve the salad the same day The peaches are firm at first, but they will soften too much if left overnight. This is a fresh, same‑day dish .
Pair it with grilled meats for a perfect meal The bright, fresh flavours complement grilled steaks and baked potatoes beautifully — a lovely summer combination
Green Peach Salad
This is delicious and makes a great use of the hard peaches you get at the shops. Don't try to make it with fully ripe peaches. They will be too soft and not be able to stand up to the dressing well. This is gorgeous. Talk about making a silk purse from a sow's ear!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) un-ripened peaches
- 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 TBS good quality extra virgin olive oil (I like the Greek, it has a great peppery flavour)
- 2 TBS fresh mint leaves, cut crosswise chiffonade
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Blanch the peaches for 2 minutes in a bowl of boiling water. This makes them much easier to peel. The peels should just slip off. Make a slice all the way around the middle of the peach and twist, it should pull apart very easily. Remove and discard the pits.
- Cut into wedges and drop into a bowl. Add the sugar and salt, giving it all a good swish to combine.
- Set aside to macerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
- At the end of that time, add the olive oil, mint and pepper. Toss together to coat and serve. This salad should be eaten on the day.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Hi everyone! Here we are, another Sunday, another Meals of the Week post! Every Sunday I like to share with you, my dear readers, my meals of the week. Everything delicious that I have cooked and or eaten for my main meals over the past seven days!
Because I live on my own, feeding myself can be somewhat of a challenge unless I am having company over for a meal. The temptation can be there to eat frozen dinners or takeaways. I don't want to be that person. Those ready meals are loaded with fats, sugars and salts, no matter how different they might tell you, and to be honest, they are always, always disappointing. The reality never ever lives up to the picture they try to tempt you with on the cover.
This was a really busy week this week. I had Eileen with me most of the week and we ate at my sisters or out with family for 3 of the days. Monday she had a medical procedure done so that called for a simple supper that was filling but not upsetting. We had Sunday dinner at my sister's and a Birthday dinner there on Thursday and then our usual Wednesday night out dinner with the family. In all of those instances I have provided "like" recipes to make up for the meals that we ate elsewhere.
We did enjoy some really delicious meals, if simple and I really hope that you will be inspired to want to cook some of them for yourselves. That Roast chicken dinner is one of my favorites as is the pizza. In any case, here are the tasty meals that I enjoyed over the past seven days.
Seven tasty days. Seven simple and tasty dinners with menu suggestions and sides. Enjoy!
SUNDAY, August 9th - Sunday Dinner at my sister Cindy's
On Sunday we had a family dinner at my sisters. She had roasted a chicken, spatchcock style in the oven with a variety of vegetables. It was delicious. She also had dessert by way of these little apple pie cinnamon roll bakes. (Watch for recipe soon!)
In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Roasted Spatchcock Chicken. This is the kind of comforting, golden‑skinned supper that fills the whole house with promise. A beautiful free‑range bird is butterflied for quicker, more even cooking, then tucked under a blanket of herb‑flecked butter and bright lemon zest that melts down into every tender bite. It roasts atop a hearty bed of carrots, parsnips, onions, celery, garlic, and fresh thyme — a rustic trivet that infuses the meat with deep, savoury goodness while becoming its own side dish of caramelized vegetables. The high‑heat start gives you that irresistible salty, crunchy skin, while the gentle finish keeps the meat succulent and moist. Spoon those lush pan juices over the top, add a scoop of sage and onion stuffing if you like, and you’ve got a Sunday‑worthy dinner that tastes like home — with plenty left over for sandwiches, casseroles, and even a pot of soup. A true meal that keeps on giving.
MONDAY, August 10th - Honeyed Tomato Soup with Cheddar & Onion Marmalade Panini
My daughter had the first of her medical procedures on Monday and so I had her with me for an extra couple of days so that I could keep an eye on her. She was at the hospital for most of the day and returned home ravenous after not being able to eat for 12 hours but at the same time feeling a bit under the weather so wanting something simple.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are the ultimate comfort food when you are feeling low and not quite up to snuff. So that is what I made her. I am sharing something a tiny bit fancier with you however.
Tender chicken, buttery sautéed celery and onion, and a blend of sage, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, and parsley bake into a golden, savoury pie that the author admits “may not look like much,” but is purely and simply delicious . Cut into wedges and served with a ladle of creamy peas and carrots over the top, it becomes a deeply nostalgic, incredibly tasty meal that feels like Sunday supper — even on a weeknight.
It’s simple, adaptable, budget‑friendly, and wonderfully comforting… the kind of dish you will want to make again and again. We enjoyed this simply with a tossed salad on the side.
WEDNESDAY, August 12th - Dinner out with the Family
Most Wednesday nights we all go out together as a family to a local eating spot. Eileen always joins us, which she loves. This week was no different. Cindy, dad and myself had the one piece fish and chips. Hazel had her usual grilled haddock dinner and Eileen had spaghetti & meatballs. We all enjoyed our meals.
I am sharing my own small-batch recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs with you in it's place. This small-batch recipe is everything we love about the classic family supper . . . tender, juicy meatballs simmered low and slow in a simple homemade tomato sauce that tastes like pure comfort. The meatballs are a beautiful blend of beef and pork for extra moisture and tenderness, seasoned with basil, oregano, onion and garlic powders. They brown in a skillet, creating those flavor-packed little caramelized bits that melt into the sauce.
The sauce itself is wonderfully unfussy. Tomatoes, paste, balsamic for richness, a bay leaf, and just enough seasoning to let the meatballs shine. After about an hour of simmering, everything becomes thick, savory and deeply comforting, ready to spoon over hot spaghetti noodles and showered with a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan. It’s streamlined, budget‑friendly, and perfect for a weeknight — the kind of recipe that feels like home and tastes even better the next day fried in a bit of butter. (A naughty indulgence.)
This is a meal that goes wonderfully with a salad and some garlic bread on the side.
THURSDAY, August 13th - Birthday Dinner at my sister Cindy's with the family
Thursday was my 71st birthday and my sister hosted us all for a Birthday dinner. So dinner together as a family again. Eileen is really enjoying being included in these activities and we are really enjoying having her with us!
My sister cooked a delicious homemade pizza for us which we enjoyed with Potato Salad and Corn on the Cob. It sounds a weird combination I know, but it was all delicious, and nobody was complaining. My sister makes great pizzas.
In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Perfect Pizza. This is the pizza that I used to make for the Mr. when I cooked at the manor. He loved it very much and requested one of these at least once every couple of weeks. It boats a simple reliable homemade dough which I perfected through the years. It rises quickly, rolls out like a dream and bakes into an irresistible crisp base every time.
The sauce is also my homemade, honed recipe for a sauce that has a warm, savory and delicious depth. This, too, is something I have spent years perfecting. With plenty of cheese and your own toppings, this makes for the best and most perfect pizza you could ever make for your family.
Usually I would just enjoy this with a tossed salad, but the potato salad and corn on the cob went beautifully as well, and for dessert, she served a lush chocolate frosted chocolate butter cake that she had gotten at a local shop. Altogether it was a lovely Birthday meal!
(You can find my recipes for Potato Salad, Corn on the cob and chocolate cake at the links provided. Just click on their names.)
FRIDAY, August 14th - Turkey Sub Sandwich
I went out shopping to get some bits and bobs with my sister on Friday. We usually take my father and his friend Maryann to the mall where they enjoy scratch tickets and Buddy Burgers at the A&W together. While they are doing that, we go shopping. I like to pick up my cat food at Walmart (the cheapest) and we usually hit another store or two before we go back to pick them up and go home. Usually on the way home we stop at the chicken farm to get eggs and homemade bread and maybe even another one or two goodies.
I am usually exhausted by the time I get home however and usually I will either grab something from the freezer or make something quick and easy for my supper. This week I picked up everything I needed in the local shops to make myself a Turkey Sub Sandwich. I practically lived on these sandwiches in the months following the breakup of my marriage back in 1998. Back then I had to buy them. This recipe I am sharing is a much better and tastier version than those ones I used to buy, made all the more so for it's fresh and tasty ingredients.
A nice crusty bun, sliced deli turkey, thinly sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and onions. Along with a mayonnaise dressing, hot pickled peppers, pickles and black olives. Did I forget the lettuce? Yes, lettuce too.
These sandwiches are a full meal in and of themselves. You could add some potato chips for the heartier eater, but on their own they provide most, if not all, of your food groups and are delicious!
.JPG "Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas")
SATURDAY, August 15th - Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
On Saturday (yesterday) I picked up Eileen for our weekend sleepover. I had bought her a new knife so I wanted us to be able to make something for supper together that I could teach her some knife skills so that she could learn to use it safely. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas were perfect. She got in a lot of practice cutting a variety of veggies and chicken for this.
.JPG "Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas")
These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are the definition of a weeknight win — fast, vibrant, and bursting with Tex‑Mex flavour. Everything cooks together on one tray, making prep simple and cleanup a breeze. Thin strips of juicy chicken breast and thigh meat are tossed with chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, garlic, and a splash of oil, then roasted alongside colourful peppers and onions until everything is tender, sizzling, and irresistibly fragrant . A squeeze of fresh lime at the end wakes up all those warm spices and makes the whole tray smell like a fiesta.
Warm tortillas, your favourite toppings — guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese — and suddenly you’ve got a fun, build‑your‑own supper that feels special without any fuss . It’s colourful, customizable, and incredibly tasty… the kind of meal that proves simple really can be spectacular. A winner/winner chicken dinner for two!
And there you have it, my meals of the week for this the second week of August, 2026. It was a bit of an unusual week, but I hope something here has appealed to you!
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
If you’re looking for a simple, comforting dessert that celebrates the very best of late‑summer fruit, this Mixed Berry Crumble is the perfect choice. Made with a colourful blend of berries and topped with a buttery, golden crumble, it’s a dessert that’s both easy to prepare and irresistibly delicious.
Whether you use fresh berries at their peak or frozen ones from your freezer stash, this crumble bakes into a bubbling, jammy filling with a crisp, nubbly topping that feels like pure home‑baked comfort. Served warm with cream, custard, or ice cream, it’s a timeless treat that fits beautifully into any day of the week — simple ingredients, big flavour, and all the cozy charm of a classic fruit crumble.
This is the perfect dessert for this time of year. Late summer. We are just getting to the end of the strawberries and the Blueberries and raspberries are at their best. Let's get ready to crumble!!
I actually used frozen blueberries and strawberries for this. I have frozen blueberries left from last year, and I wasn't able to get out and get any strawberries. I had some of those in the freezer as well. So what I did was I just gently mixed them with fresh raspberries and put them into the oven for about 10 minutes before I added the remaining ingredients. You could also add blackberries if you wish. I think cherries would also be quite wonderful.
It worked beautifully. The berries were perfectly thawed and ready for me to sprinkle over the white chocolate and the buttery crumble mixture. The white chocolate perfectly sweetens the fruit so you need no other sugar in the filling. It's a delightful mix of sweet and tart.
The topping has just the right amount of buttery and crispness . . . part of it sinks down into the fruit thickening the juices. It's just delightful. Especially when served up with dollops of cream. All that rich cream melting down into the fruit and buttery crumble. This was moreishly scrumptious. We are in love.
- 2 cups (300g) of strawberries, washed and hulled (cut in half if large)
- 2 cups (200g) fresh blueberries
- 2 cups (200g) fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup (100g) of good white chocolate, broken into bits
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 cup+ 2 TBS (140g) of chilled butter, cut into bits
- 1/3 cup (80g) sugar
Strawberries, Blueberries & Raspberries A beautiful trio of late‑summer berries. You mention that blueberries and raspberries are at their best this time of year, while strawberries are finishing their season . Frozen berries work wonderfully too. So you can really make this crumble any time of the year.
Optional Blackberries You note that blackberries can be added if you have them — they blend beautifully with the other berries and deepen the flavour and colour of the crumble .
White Chocolate This is the secret ingredient that makes your crumble special. Instead of adding sugar to the fruit, you scatter bits of good white chocolate over the berries. It melts into the juices, sweetening the fruit naturally and creating a lovely balance of sweet and tart flavours .
Plain Flour The base of your crumble topping. It helps create that classic crumb texture — tender, crisp, and golden once baked.
Butter Chilled butter is rubbed into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles dry breadcrumbs . This is what gives the topping its buttery richness and irresistible crispness.
Sugar A modest amount of sugar in the topping adds sweetness and helps the crumble brown beautifully. Since the fruit is sweetened with white chocolate, no extra sugar is needed in the filling itself.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/ 200*C/gas mark 6. (This is a regular oven, not a fan oven. If using a fan oven you will need to reduce the temperature by about 20 degrees.)
- Butter a six cup deep casserole dish. Gently mix the berries and pour them into the dish. Scatter the white chocolate bits over top. (Don't be too hard on the berries so that you can keep them whole without breaking them up.)
- Measure the flour and sugar into a bowl. Drop in the butter. (Make sure the butter is quite cold.)
- Rub the butter into the dry mixture with your finger tips until the mixture resembles dry bread crumbs. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over top of the fruit. (Use the tips of your fingers in a snapping motion. The crumb topping should come out fairly fine without a lot of big lumps of butter in it.)
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up.
- Serve warm with or without lashings of cream! (Or ice cream, clotted cream, pouring cream or even warm custard.)
Give frozen berries a head start in the oven If using frozen strawberries or blueberries, pop them into the oven for about 10 minutes before adding the white chocolate and crumble topping. This ensures they thaw evenly and bake up beautifully.
Mix berries gently to avoid bruising The recipe calls for gently mixing the berries before placing them in the dish — this keeps them whole and prevents them from turning mushy.
Use good‑quality white chocolate The white chocolate is the only sweetness in the filling, so choose a good bar for the best flavour. It melts into the fruit and creates a perfect sweet‑tart balance.
Don’t skip the buttery crumble texture test Rub the butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles dry breadcrumbs — this ensures a crisp, golden topping.
Bake until the topping is deeply golden The crumble is ready when the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up around the edges. This guarantees the topping is crisp and the juices have thickened.
Serve warm for maximum deliciousness Warm crumble lets the fruit juices mingle with the buttery topping — especially if you add clotted cream, which melts into every nook and cranny.
Add blackberries for extra depth Blackberries are a lovely optional addition if you have them.
Use a deep casserole dish A six‑cup deep dish gives the crumble room to bubble without overflowing.
Late Summer Mixed Berry Crumble
A delicious way to use up the last of the summer berries. I use strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Any sweetness comes from the delicious addition of some white chocolate. The buttery crumbs are it's crowning glory!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300g) of strawberries, washed and hulled (cut in half if large)
- 2 cups (200g) fresh blueberries
- 2 cups (200g) fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup (100g) of good white chocolate, broken into bits
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 cup+ 2 TBS (140g) of chilled butter, cut into bits
- 1/3 cup (80g) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/ 200*C/gas mark 6.
- Butter a six cup deep casserole dish. Gently mix the berries and pour them into the dish. Scatter the white chocolate bits over top.
- Measure the flour and sugar into a bowl. Drop in the butter.
- Rub the butter into the dry mixture with your finger tips until the mixture resembles dry bread crumbs. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over top of the fruit.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up.
- Serve warm with or without lashings of cream!
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Social Icons