Grilled Peaches

Grilled Peaches This is such a simple dish but it tastes fancy and is about as summery as a dessert can get. Grilling peaches caramelizes their sugars and softens them up, accentuating their sweetness and bringing out their flavour. Adding some ice cream (coconut ice cream for non-dairy) and a sprinkle of chopped nuts or granola with a drizzle of maple syrup makes them into a more substantial dish. Any leftovers are great in salads or with thick Greek yogurt for breakfast. They can also be paired with savoury dishes as a sweet compliment, my brothers love these with grilled pork and balsamic reduction and request it more than anything else.

Peaches are believed to have originated in China, from where they slowly spread westward along the silk road, then into Europe by the Romans and finally over to the new world by Spanish colonists. There was a time when all parts of the tree served esteemed purposes. The flower petals were once used to make love potions and the wood of the trees were used as talismans against evil and provided raw material for warriors’ weapons. They are still revered in their originating land, the only place to find wild varieties, with the fruits symbolic of unity and immortality (for keeping the eaters young and promoting long lives). The fruit is rich in fiber, antioxidants and several minerals and vitamins, making them a great option to form the base of a dessert that is healthy but isn’t lacking in decadence. Fresh Okanagan PeachesFresh peaches halved for grillingGrilled Peaches

Grilled Peaches
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS:
  • 6 peaches
  • ¼ cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cold-pressed oil with a high smoke point, camelina or coconut are ideal, or melted butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the grill, a panini grill works too in place of a barbecue.
  2. Slice the peaches in half and pull apart (gently twist a bit if necessary), use a spoon to scoop out the pit on the side it sticks to.
  3. Brush the oil or butter onto the cut side of the peaches with a pastry brush then place them on the grill cut side down. Rotate them 90 degrees after 3 minutes for crisscrossed grill marks. Remove from the grill after another 3-5 minutes, once the outer skins start to look a bit shrivelled. Brush the cut sides with maple syrup and sprinkle the pecans on top.

Grilled Peaches

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