I know that I’m cheating ever so slightly when I used white nectarines instead of peaches. We had just purchased a huge bounty of them and I just knew that the delicate blush of the white nectarines would look fabulous alongside the gorgeous, vividly hued raspberry sauce and the tiny black flecked vanilla bean ice cream.
If you feel like this is a one trick pony and can’t be bothered making it again, the poaching liquid is fabulous with some sparkling on a hot, sweltering day and it certainly looks like Sydney’s weather is coming out to play these few days! Hence the almost melting photos…
Peach Melba
Peaches:
- 3 cups/700ml water
- 3 1/2 cups/700grams sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 8 peaches
Raspberry sauce:
- 3 cups raspberries
- 25g icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To serve:
- 1 large tub vanilla ice cream
1. 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.
The poached fruit to be peeled and stoned
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
From Feast by Nigella Lawson
6 Comments | Add your own
Looks delicious!!!
I love white nectarines
Hi Popeye-Thanks!
They’re delicious aren’t they-I could go for a few now…
oh! how odd. this was on tonight on the ABC. looks fantastic
I too watched it on the tele. I must try this soon, while our peaches are so delicious (and cheap) now. Normally I don’t go for cooked fruit but this appeals to me. Somehow I have managed to get by 30 years without ever buying a vanilla bean. While I was watching the show I thought it would be great if she’d stuff an entire half peach into her gob, but alas she didn’t.
i was gonna leave the same comment as bec
NQN, you seem to be on a nigella cooking spree!
Hi Bec-Thanks! I watched it too. It was all about sweets so I just had to!
Hi Lori-Hehe about Nigella stuffing a whole peach into her mouth! As much as I love her recipes, her vamping up for the camera on Feast sometimes feels like you’re watching something almost porn-ish! At the very least food pornish I suppose…
Hi Tian-I am, I love Nigella Express and I think watching Feast has reignited my interest in Feast which was my least favourite cookbook Good thing too as its a rather thick tome!
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