Peaches are in season and there is nothing better than a tree ripened peach, in my opinion! This fuzzy fruit is a member of the stone fruit family (along with nectarines, plums, cherries, and apricots) and are related to almonds. (Another favorite of mine!)
They are more than just a great tasting fruit, though. They are good for digestion, containing fiber and prebiotics. The vitamins and minerals in peaches boost the immune system, support healthy skin, protect vision, and aid in blood pressure control. So much goodness packed into a juicy, small package!
Grilling peaches is nothing new for us. A few years back, I featured a Grilled Peach with Honey & Mascarpone recipe. This recipe is similar in that whole peaches are halved and lightly grilled. From there the recipes diverge. Here, the peach halves are drizzled with a Basil-Lime Syrup and served with vanilla ice cream. If peaches are not your thing, we’ve also served the Basil-Lime Syrup over fresh strawberries with delicious results!
Grilled Peaches with Basil-Lime Syrup
Grilled Peaches with Basil-Lime Syrup (adapted from epicurious.com)
Total Time Required: at least 25 minutes and up to 65 minutes, Active Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 – 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus more, for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn, plus additional basil, for garnish
- olive or vegetable oil, for grilling
- 4 large peaches, halved and pitted
- freshly ground black pepper
- vanilla ice cream, for serving, if desired
Preparation:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar with 1/4 cup water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Combine the brown sugar with water.
Turn off the heat and add the lime juice and basil leaves.
Add the lime juice and basil leaves to the simple syrup mixture.
Let the syrup stand for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour, then strain out the basil leaves.
Strain the syrup mixture.
Light the grill and set it to medium heat. (Or preheat a grill pan over medium heat.) Lightly oil the grates. Lightly sprinkle the peaches with additional brown sugar.
Add a touch of brown sugar to the cut peaches.
Grill the peaches, cut side down, until dark brown grill marks form, about 2 minutes.
Grill the peaches, cut side down.
Briefly grill the peach halves.
Transfer the peaches to bowls and season them with a little black pepper. Spoon some of the syrup on top.
Drizzle some syrup over the peach halves.
Sprinkle the peach halves with some basil leaves and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Serve the grilled peaches with the syrup and vanilla ice cream.
Ripe peaches are the best thing about August! ~Linda
Grilled Peaches with Basil-Lime Syrup (adapted from epicurious.com) Total Time Required: at least 25 minutes and up to 65 minutes, Active Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 – 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus more, for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn, plus additional basil, for garnish
- olive or vegetable oil, for grilling
- 4 large peaches, halved and pitted
- freshly ground black pepper
- vanilla ice cream, for serving, if desired
Preparation:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar with 1/4 cup water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice and basil leaves. Let the syrup stand for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour, then strain out the basil leaves.
Light the grill and set it to medium heat. (Or preheat a grill pan over medium heat.) Lightly oil the grates.
Lightly sprinkle the peaches with additional brown sugar and grill them, cut side down until dark brown grill marks form, about 2 minutes. Transfer the peaches to bowls and season them with a little black pepper. Spoon some of the syrup on top, sprinkle with some basil leaves and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.