A taste of summer

Summer is fully upon us, here in Wellington, with the forecast for 10 straight days of sunshine!  Back from a holiday filled to the brim with beaches, caves, bush and sunshine – and not forgetting a good supply of friends – it’s time to turn some photos into blog recipes. 

Peaches and raspberries are two of my favourite tastes of summer… so what better than combining them with a touch of vanilla?  Last week I tried this out on two lots of unsuspecting friends to universal approval.

Baked Peaches with Vanilla and Raspberries

Serves 4

4 large peaches, peeled and cut into quarters or halves, stone removed

1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise or ½ tsp Heilala vanilla paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp raspberry liqueur (Crème de Framboise)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup fresh raspberries

The peaches should be ripe, but on the firm side.  Once peeled, place into a baking dish that will fit them in a snug single layer and toss with the lemon juice and sugar.  At this stage, you can pop them into the fridge until 30 minutes before you are ready to cook them.

Preheat the oven to around 200 degrees, and melt the butter.  Gently toss together with the peaches and raspberry liqueur.  At this stage, I try to arrange them cut side up, and then pop into the oven for 10 minutes, then turn and baste with the juices, and cook for another 10 minutes.  They should still keep their shape – if they are very ripe, you may need to drop the cooking time by a few minutes each side.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the raspberries over the top.  Spoon into dishes, using up ALL the juices and serve with vanilla icecream.