balsamic roasted peaches in beurre noisette


saturday simplicity
notes from maggie's farm




Served alongside roti de porc, or even all on it's own as a summery lunch with only a few supporting culinary actors, this simple, but very special, side dazzles.  No wallflower, this sweet and savory dish, you can reach for this recipe anytime you feel the need for a little fancy ,in short order.




balsamic pan roasted peaches in beurre noisette
serves 2-4, as a side

 ingredients
2 tablespoons browned butter (see link, below)
4 whole peaches, washed, halved, pitted, skins on
1/4 c aged balsamic vinegar (or, reduced standard balsamic vinegar, see below)
handful fresh greens (arugula, spinach, curly endive)
freshly ground black pepper

Beurre noisette
or browned butter, is as simple as the name implies. Butter, simmered slowly, to yield a rich, nutty-flavored batch of righteousness. It can be used immediately, or stored for future use. I like to make a large batch and save it to use over steamed vegetables or even on toast, on down the road. For more detailed instructions, visit this link about how to brown butter.



Pan Roasting
To approximately 2 tablespoons melted browned butter in a heavy skillet, place halved peaches, skin side down. Brown peaches slowly over medium heat. Turn, browning opposite sides an additional 3 minutes. Pour aged balsamic over peaches, lower heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat and remove from burner. Let sit until cooled, 10-15 minutes.

Gently transfer to greens-lined plate, sprinkle with ground pepper, to your taste, and serve.



Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
Nothing compares to the flavor of a fine balsamic vinegar aged for 5, 10, or 20 years. And nothing compares to the price, either. If you, like ourselves, have not considered it fortuitous to raise your own personal debt ceiling,  and you wish to dole out your bottle of gold by the teaspoonful, rather than by the cup, reducing a standard balsamic vinegar may be a good-enough substitute, here.

Simply simmer one cup of standard balsamic vinegar slowly, until reduced by 75 percent.  (I actually use a ruler in the kitchen to help me 'measure' the reduction). Drizzle over peaches (see above).  If additional sweetness is desired for this dish, or other uses, you can add honey or brown sugar to the reduction during simmering. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled, as you choose.

We adore this simple and lovely side dish that accents the seasonal jewel--sweet juicy peaches.  We also enjoy them as a satisfying breakfast, brunch, or lunch on their own, sprinkled with fresh minced herbs like thyme, basil, mint, sage, or rosemary, and served with your favorite cheese.




Have a wonderful weekend.

3 comments:

  1. Ohhhh How lovely the color of those sweet peaches married with that reduction. As usual you never fail in bringing beautiful tasteful dishes to the table.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UMMMM, yummy. I am so going to make this.

    ReplyDelete

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