Poached peaches with rose geranium & vermentino
Tinned peaches, which were a treat when I was a child, have a lot of charm. These peaches taste like a refined version. The syrup is the prettiest blush pink, and the rose geranium leaves lend a hint of citrus alongside the blowsy musk of rose.
SERVES 6-8
PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes, plus cooling
COOKING TIME about 15 minutes
500ml vermentino di Sardegna or similar dry white wine 2 pared strips lemon rind 150g white granulated sugar 6-8 ripe peaches 4-5 rose geranium leaves
Ice cream or cream to serve, optional
1 Put wine, lemon rind, sugar and 100ml water in a wide, deep pan and bring to boil. Turn down to a simmer.
2 Wash peaches. Cut in half and carefully remove stones, trying to leave the halves nicely intact. Put halves into syrup and cover with a cartouche (circle of baking parchment). Simmer gently for 7-10min, until the peaches are soft. Remove peaches with a slotted spoon and put in a dish. Peel away skins and discard.
3 Put poaching liquor back on heat and simmer to reduce for 3-5min, to form a nice syrupy liquid. Set aside to cool slightly, then add geranium leaves, scrunching them a little to release their scent. Allow the syrup to cool completely.
4 Once syrup is cool, strain (discard leaves and zest) and pour it over peaches. Serve the peaches in a deep dish with their syrup. Scatter over some unused geranium leaves. Serve with ice cream or cream, if you like.
‘THE ROSE GERANIUM LEAVES LEND A HINT OF CITRUS’