Peaches In Muscat From Nigella Recipes

PEACHES IN MUSCAT

Steps:

• Over a bowl (to catch juices), peel and slice each peach, placing slices in bowl. (If peaches are hard to peel, they may be dipped in boiling water until skins loosen, up to 2 minutes.)
• Add Muscat to bowl and stir gently to make sure peaches are covered with wine. Cover bowl and refrigerate 2 to 6 hours.
• Transfer peaches and their liquid to a decorative glass serving bowl or individual bowls or wineglasses. Serve chilled with cream or ice cream, if desired.

SPICED PEACHES

Steps:

• Empty the cans of peaches into a saucepan with their syrup. Add the vinegar, cinnamon, sliced ginger, chiles, salt, whole peppercorns and cloves. Bring the pan to the boil, and let boil for a minute or so then turn off the heat and leave it in the pan to keep warm.
• Serve the peaches with a hot ham letting people take a peach half and some of the spiced juice. Any leftovers can (and should) be stored in a jar and refrigerated and then eaten cold with cold ham.

PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Put the water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla pod into a wide saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring the pan to the boil and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to a fast simmer.
• Cut the peaches in half, and if the stones come out easily then remove them, if not then you can get them out later. Poach the peach halves in the sugar syrup for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Test the cut side with the sharp point of a knife to see if they are soft, and then remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• When all the peaches are poached, peel off their skins and let them cool (then you can remove any remaining stones). If you are making them a day in advance then let the poaching syrup cool and then pour into a dish with the peaches. Otherwise just bag up the syrup and freeze it for the next time you poach peaches.
• To make the raspberry sauce, liquidize the raspberries, confectioners' sugar, and lemon juice in a blender or a food processor. Sieve to remove the pits and pour the puree into a jug.
• To assemble the Peach Melba, allow 2 peach halves per person and sit them on each plate alongside a scoop or 2 of ice cream. Spoon the raspberry sauce over each.

MUSCAT POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine Muscat, sugar, and 3 cups water in a wide 6-quart saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add pear halves to liquid, and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit just inside pan, and cover pears. Cook until pears are just barely tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool in liquid.
• Remove pears from liquid, and use a melon baller or paring knife to remove core. If preparing pears in advance, store in poaching liquid and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

PEACHES IN MUSCAT FROM NIGELLA

Steps:

• Over a bowl (to catch juices), cut each peach into slices.
• When all the peaches are sliced, pour in the Muscat wine and make sure the peaches are more or less fully immersed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours; sometimes it helps to be able to get stuff done in advance.
• Remove the peaches to a pretty glass bowl or to individual small glasses and serve - still chilled - with a pitcher of heavy cream or some vanilla ice cream alongside.

MELON BALLS IN MUSCAT

Steps:

• Carefully scoop out cantaloupe balls, reserving shells.
• Place 3 cups cantaloupe balls in a large, shallow dish, reserve any remaining cantaloupe balls for another use.
• Add honeydew balls and Muscat, toss gently.
• Cover and chill up to 4 hours.
• Serve melon balls in cantaloupe shells.