Monday, July 10, 2017

The Perfectly Poached Peach



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It is peach season, and with that annual rite of summer comes new ways to get the most out of those deliciously sweet treats.  Brittany Wood Nickerson, who wrote the new cookbook, The Herbalist Kitchen, came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Poached Peaches with Tarragon. Brittany told Tonia it's a perfect lite after dinner dessert, or an elegant snack for afternoon tea. She says it goes great with oatmeal, biscuits, soft whipped cream, yogurt or ice cream

Yield: 4 servings

4 cups water
¼–½ cup unrefined cane sugar
½ lemon, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons brandy
1–1½ pounds peaches, cut in half and pitted
4–5 sprigs fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried

1. Combine the water, sugar (more if you want sweetness, less if you prefer tartness), lemon slices, and brandy in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Add the peaches and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the peaches are soft, at least 5 minutes. Then remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and set aside. I prefer to leave the skins on, but if you don’t care for them, they slip right off after being cooked.

3. Continue simmering the poaching liquid until it has reduced by about half, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, return the peaches to the pan, add the tarragon, and let sit with the lid on for 10 minutes.

4. Serve the peaches warm, with a scoop of their poaching liquid.

Numb?
Large amounts of tarragon can make your mouth feel numb. So don’t be alarmed if you experience a numb sensation on the tongue during or after eating this dish.

“Excerpted from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen, © by Brittany Wood Nickerson, photography by © Alexandra Grablewski, used with permission from Storey Publishing.”