There is no greater satisfaction than coming home from the market with a basket packed full of seasonal delights….like peaches of all sorts and nectarines, all at their peak right now. I hardly get time to do something with them, they disappear fresh into a mouth as soon as they hit the fruit bowl on the dresser. Yesterday I kept four aside with the intention of making this light and fresh dessert. I ended up eating them fresh myself. But I managed to get hold of four ones.
A recipe from Cape Town food by Phillippa Cheifitz which I adapted a bit.
Nectarines with a rosé wine syrup
- 4 ripe nectarines: washed, unpeeled, halved and seeded
- 1 cup of water
- 2 cups of dry rosé wine
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, cut in half and seeds scraped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- a handful of summer berries of your choice
- mint leaves
- Bring the water, wine, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds and cinnamon stick to the boil in a large saucepan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the nectarines and immerse completely in the syrup, cut side down. Simmer gently for about 6 minutes, depending on the size of the nectarines. They should still have some firmness. Remove from the syrup.
- Reduce the wine syrup over high heat until slightly thickened.
- Pour over the nectarines and keep in cool place to infuse. If desired, it kan be refrigerated, until served. I prefer it room temperature.
- Serve 2 halves in a pretty bowl, drizzle some syrup over and decorate with some summerberries of your choice and a mint leaf.
Serves 4
–>OH MY GRACIOUS!!!! I AM SALIVATING ON MY KEYBOARD!!! GLORIOUS! SIMPLY ELEGANT!
–>Oh there are few things I love more than nectarines! They are so versatile and yet so fabulous eaten just as they are. I am trying to eat them as often as possibel while the season lasts. In fact, inspired by something I saw on your blog last week, I made nectarine quarters wrapped in Spanish ham and grilled as a starter this weekend – will let you know when I post about it 🙂
–>Thanks Lin..oh dear, hope your keyboard’s OK, hie hie..
Jeanne, oh I will keep an eye out, it sounds great…glorious combination.
Ronell