Peach & Ginger Dressing
Peaches and ginger are a natural flavor pairing, and with the addition of ripe red hot peppers in this recipe, this oil-free vegan peach & ginger dressing becomes magic.
Oil-free and vegan, peach & ginger dressing is definitely one of my favorite dressings during the summer and early fall months when peaches and nectarines are in season. Since focusing on a whole foods, plant-based diet, I have experimented dressings using the whole fruit. Using the whole fruit, in this case peaches or nectarines, give so much richness and flavor that you won’t miss the oil typically used in dressings. This dressing is so good due to the naturally high flavors of each of the ingredients.
Initially created for the Asian Herbs & Noodles Dish, this peach & ginger dressing is also good on other noodle dishes, green salads, a drizzle for vegetables and particularly good as a dip for fresh spring rolls. Fresh spring rolls are often served with and taste really good with a sweet-hot dressing and this peach & ginger dressing has the piquante and sweetness without the refined sugar.
Peaches are so good at the height of their season when they are sweet and tart at the same time. I have been using the white or yellow peaches for this dressing mostly, but nectarines are interchangeable with peaches for this dressing. Peaches and ginger are a natural flavor pairing, and with the addition of the vibrant ginger and ripe red hot peppers, like the red jalapenos in this recipe, this dressing becomes magic. We often eat peppers when they are still green and they are good, but their flavor is completely different once peppers have ripened fully. They have a complex flavor with sweet notes and piquant notes. The red also keeps a very pretty color for the final dressing.
Often when peaches are at their best, the ripened red peppers are also coming in at Farmers markets. The fresh young ginger is also available at Farmers markets. Grocery stores carry ripened Fresno and Jalapeno peppers even when they aren’t quite in season locally. Peaches and nectarines and many other summer fruits and berries are already coming into the Farmers markets full swing.
To make sure you get the right level of piquant for your taste, it’s a good idea to start the blending with half a pepper and add more as desired after all the ingredients are blended. The peach & ginger dressing should be quite a bit more concentrated for the piquant level, citrus and ginger than you like when tasted without noodles. Once dressed on the noodles or when dipped with a spring roll the flavors will mellow considerably.
Tools Used in this Recipe
- salad spinner or wash bowl
- Chef Knife
- Cutting Board
- peeler
- lime squeezer
- hand blender (Immersion) & cup or standard blender
- Container for pouring and storing
Ingredients
- 3 peaches medium sized ripe, but still a little firm, cut into quarters or size suitable for your blender
- 1/2 x 2 in ginger peeled and sliced crosswise 1/8 slices ginger has long fibers. Slicing thinly crosswise helps keep it from being stringy after blending
- 4 Tbls lime juice juice of 2 limes
- 1/2–2 red jalapeno or 1/2–2 red serrano or 2–6 red thai chiles seeds and membranes removed
- 1-3 tsps maple syrup (optional) or 2–4 pitted and soaked dates
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients except the hot peppers in the blender cup or blender.
- Blend well and and start adding the hot pepper, taste and add more pepper as desired. Blend until smooth.
- Blend in the maple or pitted dates if using.
- The dressing is ready to use. It will store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
