Honey Grilled Stone Fruit
Sometimes you need a quick but sophisticated end-of-summer dessert. I use plums, peaches and nectarines that are lightly caramelized in olive oil and served with honey cream or whipped ricotta. It's ready in 30 minutes.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 peaches
- 1 nectarine
- 4 red plums
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup whipping cream cold or ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Beat ½ cup whipping cream, cold, with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar in a large bowl until medium peaks form. If using ricotta cheese, beat until creamy; it will not be completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
- Remove the stone from 2 peaches 1 nectarine. Cut 4 red plums in half and quarter the peaches and nectarines.
- Heat a skillet over low/medium heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 sprigs fresh thyme.
- Add fruit pieces, careful not to crowd the skillet (you might need to do this in two batches), skin side up and wait until it browns before turning them over so that it doesn’t stick. Brown as much or as little as you like.
- Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil with 2 tablespoons honey in a small bowl.
- Divide the fruit between 2 plates, adding a dollop of whipped cream to each.
- Drizzle the honey oil mixture. Serve immediately.
Notes
Fruit: it is best to use stone fruit that is not too ripe, you know, the extra juicy type you like to eat fresh, because it will become too mushy after cooking. Part of the attraction of this plate are those chunks and halves, a bit burned but holding their shape. I used white peaches, nectarines, and plums, but this is amazing with apricots, yellow peaches and cherries, too.
Olive oil: choose a very good quality oil, especially the one you use raw to drizzle over the final plate. It makes a big difference as you'll be tasting it directly from the bottle. And make sure it is fresh, don't use a 2-year-old bottle sitting in your pantry.
Herb: it should be fresh, ideally. I choose thyme because it complements the final dish without overpowering it. But you might have other favorites like rosemary, basil, mint, lavender... your call.
Cream: have the whipped cream ready in the fridge. This plate waits for no one, similar to risotto. Serve it immediately. You can substitute good vanilla or cream ice cream.
Honey: use a good quality complementing the flavors of the fruit, oil, and herb you're using. As with the olive oil, it will make a difference in the final dessert.
