I actually had the opportunity to enjoy this past holiday weekend with my family and friends. I spent part of my day traveling on the North Fork with some relatives doing the usual shopping and sightseeing.
Of course, we had to stop and buy some corn for dinner – that’s just a no-brainer. One of my favorite places to stop for produce is Bay View Farm Market on Main Road in Aquebogue, and boy, was this a good choice. 
I saw the biggest display of peaches. Instantly I forgot about the corn and became mesmerized by the abundance of beautiful ripe peaches that sat before me.
I, of course, had one thing on the brain: Blog! I pictured it right there – peach cobbler baked right in my cast iron skillet topped with local blueberries. I just could not wait to get those peaches home!
Peaches are one of my favorites, tangy and sweet in flavor, and they are really delicious baked in a pie. I even love that you can preserve them and eat them all winter long.
Here are a couple of simple tips for this recipe. First, don’t stir the peaches into the batter; the batter will rise around the peaches on its own. Secondly, I like the peaches to be firm, but not rock-hard. If they’re too soft, your cobbler will come out a bit mushier. (It’ll still taste great, though!)
Blueberries and vanilla ice cream make great friends with peaches, but if you’ve got something else in mind, by all means, do your thing.
Cast Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler
Serves: 6 – 8
Peach Filling Ingredients:
8 peaches, ripe but still firm
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Batter Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 cup fresh blueberries
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pit and cut the peaches into 6 or 8 slices per peach. Place in a large bowl along with the remaining peach filling ingredients; toss to coat and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Stir in the milk and the egg. Place your cast iron skillet over low heat and melt the butter. Once the butter has melted remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the batter over the melted butter, do not stir. Layer the peaches over the batter, do not stir. Be sure to pour any remaining juices over the top. Spread the blueberries evenly over the top. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.
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Kayleigh Van Vliet Baig was born and raised in Riverhead, where she lives with her husband Tahir and their two dogs.Kayleigh is in her third season as Sous Chef at a private kitchen in Southampton. Not only is she second in command but her main focus is on creating, preparing and executing cold dishes such as salads, hors d’œuvres, appetizers, canapés, pâtés and terrines. Kayleigh has been in the culinary industry for the last 15 years, working her way up in kitchens on the East End. She also is a personal chef.Look for In the Kitchen with Kayleigh every Saturday on RiverheadLOCAL.com.Got questions? Recipes? Ideas? [contact-form-7 id=”26578″ title=”Write to Kayleigh”]
