Taking a Risk

I couldn't resist this big bag of red peppers at the 99-cent store. I didn't know what kind they were or how hot they'd be, but I knew I couldn't go wrong—peppers are a versatile ingredient.

Unless you get a little crazy.

It just so happened that at the same time I had a bunch of peaches in the fridge that I'd bought to make a cobbler and then forgotten about. I have a strange allergy that means I can't eat peaches raw (something related to hay fever) but have no problems with them cooked. My favorite peach cobbler is with raspberries mixed in—the sweet and the tart, the orange and the red combine for great eye appeal and palate-pleasing goodness. But that's so ordinary, I thought. What can I do to give it some pizazz?

I had red peppers.

It's not totally crazy: there are peach and jalapeño jellies and chutneys. The sweet and the spicy can balance each other nicely. I tasted the peppers and they had a nice heat—not too hot and with an interesting flavor. I sliced and diced and threw them in with the peaches, hoping for the best.

It was just weird.

The heat was nice, but the texture of the peppers after cooking so long was just gross. I had one piece but couldn't bear to eat any more, though my husband liked it just fine—he says he would even make it again on purpose. So I left the peppers in this recipe, and you can decide for yourself. I made this in a small dish (10x6) so I could cook it in the toaster oven and not heat up the whole house; you can adapt for a larger dish and leave out the peppers entirely, if you wish.




Sassy Peach Cobbler
© Mallory McCreary/SnobbyAvocado.com

Filling:
2 cups sliced peaches (from 4 to 6 peaches)
2 mild red chile peppers, chopped, most seeds discarded (optional)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
Generous dusting (at least 3 T) Chinese five-spice powder (or substitute cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
3/4 cup oatmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted green pumpkin seeds
3 dashes cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped (not ginger candy)
Dash salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

Vanilla ice cream

Combine all filling ingredients. Let stand at least a half hour or longer to allow peaches to macerate.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Meanwhile, combine dry topping ingredients (oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, cayenne, ginger, salt) in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together canola oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and Chinese five-spice. Pour over oatmeal mixture and stir to combine.

Spread peach mixture in a small (I used 10x6) baking dish. Spread topping evenly over, covering all peaches. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until top is brown and peaches are bubbling but have lost most of their liquid. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6.