Help! For many years, I enjoyed making a fresh peach sauce/topping that I served over ice cream. It consisted of fresh peaches, sugar, cloves, etc., and was simmered on the stove. Somehow I have managed to lose or misplace this wonderful recipe. It was truly the perfect dessert to serve to guests during the summer following a barbecue.
I have perused many cooking sites online with no success in finding anything remotely close to the original recipe. I would be most grateful if you could help me. Many thanks.
– Linda Reese, San Diego
You weren't kidding about recipes for fresh peach topping being scarcer than hen's teeth. Cookbooks and the Internet yielded nothing satisfactory until I changed my tack and started looking for Spiced Peaches. While this recipe doesn't include ground cloves, I see no reason why you can't play mad scientist and experiment by swapping out the cardamom for the cloves or even adding a splash of brandy somewhere in the proceedings. This recipe came from a more elaborate one that had you sloshing this over vanilla ice cream and garnishing with toasted pecans. See what you think.
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Spiced Peaches
8 servings
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/2 pounds ripe peaches, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Melt the butter in heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar; stir to blend. Add the vanilla, cardamom and nutmeg. Stir 1 minute.
Add the peaches; toss gently to coat. Cook until the sugar mixture melts and the peaches are tender but do not fall apart, tossing occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over low heat before using.)
(Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2000.)
