Griddled Dessert Peaches with Incredible Raspberry & Lime Drizzle

I care very much for peaches, especially for the sweet yellow cling peaches the Cape is renowned for.

I can’t have any or many because of a curious allergy I develeop and have done so, ever since I was a child. I suppose I care even more for them, as a result.

The dessert peaches that I used in this recipe, my husband mistook for nectarines, and this is easily forgivable as their skins are so similar. Nonetheless, it was a warm day and I thought a plate of these griddled peaches, served cold, their juicy flesh deeply caramelised by the rows of the griddle pan, with a side of plain, thick yoghurt may be a sweet treat for him to enjoy.

I stared at the raspberries and limes near the peaches in the fridge, almost begging to be let out and happened upon this dressing. From here on end, this  shall be referred to as the most incredible dressing. Firstly, it’s a cheerful, startling, almost lurid pink. Do not let that put you off. It is not pink in any sort of sissy shade. The mixture of lemon infused oil, lemon juice and that heavenly zing of lime, a splosh of honey and the tiniest sprinkle of sea salt flakes, makes this Raspberry Lime Drizzle truly, utterly, last-bit-in-the-bowl lickable.

It does not marry with watermelon – both flavours seem to cancel each other out, but with these griddled peaches (I tasted, of course. And then made a sacrifice to the Allergy gods) the dressing has found its place. The peach is enhanced and the dressing eggs you on for another bite.

I would also use this dressing on sticks of humble cucumber, also scattered with torn mint leaves, with a goats cheese and rocket salad and maybe on vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Serves 2

4 dessert peaches (or nectarines), sliced in half and stoned

olive oil, for brushing pan

6 mint leaves, torn

 For the Dressing

16 raspberries

2 T lemon infused olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

juice half small lemon

juice half lime

honey, to taste

sea salt flakes (a tiny pinch, also to taste)

 

Method

Brush a griddle pan with olive oil and grill each peach half, cut side down. I wanted the marks nicely exaggerated- perhaps I was a little too eager. You could grill till a lighter brown.

Dressing

Blend all ingredients in a bowl with a hand held blender. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve peaches on a platter, drizzled with raspberry lime dressing and torn mint leaves. Serve plain thick yoghurt on the side.