Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Opal Basil-Macerated Peaches


Opal Basil-Macerated Peaches, you need to have them in your life.  They look quite simple, but I assure you they are not.  You can taste the essence of the peaches, the hint of lime, and the slightest hint of sweet basil.  These are a heavenly dessert.  Plus, when you're finished with the peaches you can use the leftover aromatic syrup for your sweet tea.  If you love peaches these are magical.  (Don't be dissuaded if you don't have purple basil.  I think the purple taste the same as the typical green Genovese).

Opal Basil-Macerated Peaches
Adapted from Emeril's Farm to Fork
Serves 4

 4 firm-ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and quartered
1 ounce opal basil leaves (about 1-2 cups loosely packed)
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 cup sugar

Place the peaches and basil in a medium bowl and set it aside. Combine the lime zest, sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Then pour the hot syrup over the peaches and basil. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Serve the peaches in bowls, garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche, if desired.


I am submitting this to my friend Roz @ La Bella Vita for her Fresh Food Friday/Seasonal Saturday Event. 



11 comments:

  1. I'd love to find some beautiful fresh peaches to do this with..yum

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  2. what a great idea, I can almost taste the peppery touch of the basil on the sweetness of the peaches. Nice!

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  3. Ummm I'm going to be drinking the leftover syrup straight from the bowl. None of this saving it for tea business. I love the idea of peaches and basil together...so good.

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  4. I can tell from reading the ingredients I would love this. Our southern peaches were fabulous this year, but we're down to having only California ones available. Oh well, take what you can get.
    Sam

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  5. What a beautiful dessert. I agree that the leftover syrup would be wonderful in tea.

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  6. My cinnamon basil is still alive. I wonder how it would work in this. I may give it a try--have been trying to come up with uses for my impulse purchase.

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  7. I haven't seen the purple basil before. How fun. Such a lovely, simple recipe.

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  8. I have the basil, if only I had the peaches. ;-) This looks wonderful--I bet the syrup would make a nice cocktail too.

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  9. I am sold! They sound fabulous and I know they'd be awesome with ice cream :D
    *kisses* HH

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  10. Basil and peaches - lovely! I would never have thought of that combo. Looks delicious.

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