Caramelized-In-Bacon-Fat Peaches with Bleu Cheese, Serrano Ham, White Balsamic Reduction Drizzle, + Fresh Herbs

Caramelized-In-Bacon-Fat Peaches with Bleu Cheese, Serrano Ham,
White Balsamic Reduction Drizzle, + Fresh Herbs

It's peach season, y'all! And thank gawd for that. Ripe peaches are practically religion down in the southeast. We use them for just about anything... cobblers, salads, on crostini, flavored lemonade, infused sweet tea, as toppings on pizza, and even in a savory capacity, like these caramelized peaches. It is the perfect side dish during the summer. What makes this recipe so mouth-watering? Well, let's just start from the beginning... they are caramelized in bacon fat (another southern staple), and then finished in the oven where they are caramelized with sugar and scented with fresh rosemary. After they achieve the dark, caramel-y color that you desire, you take them out of the oven and start assembling these sort-of-kinda "peach salads". Drizzle the tops of the caramelized peaches with some of the sweet + sticky + tangy white balsamic reduction. Now onto the matter of the bleu cheese... any kind will really do, but I especially like a soft, silky bleu cheese that will soften some while they sit on top of the warm peaches. Don't like bleu cheese, that's fine too! I'm sure that a creamy goat cheese would be a lovely compliment to the other ingredients! So spoon that sticky, yet delicious cheese into the center of the fruit and pile on a heap of shaved serrano ham. If you can't find serrano, prosciutto or country ham would work just fine as well! I love to finish these bad boys off with a little bit of fresh basil + minced chives because it gives the dish some herby elements that counteract all the sweetness and savoriness that is going on in the dish. We served our peaches with a pepper jelly glazed, BBQ rubbed, grilled pork tenderloin (I will post the recipe for that soon), and it was the perfect compliment to the hearty meat. I think this would absolute perfection for a dinner party with friends or just to whip up on a sunny weekday!! Enjoy :)

For the White Balsamic Reduction:

¼C White Balsamic Vinegar

1T Honey

For the Caramelized Peaches:

2T Rendered Bacon Fat

4 Large, Semi-Ripe Peaches (cut in half + remove the pit)

1T Granulated Sugar + 1T Light Brown Sugar

¼t Smoked Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

For Topping the Peaches:

1t of Bleu Cheese (per peach half… we had about 8 halves)

Shaved Serrano Ham (country ham or prosciutto may be substituted)

Fresh Basil + Chives, Minced

Red Pepper Flakes, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a bowl, mix together the sugars.

2. For the White Balsamic Reduction: Add the white balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 5-10 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set this aside until ready to use.

3. For the Caramelized Peaches: Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add the rendered bacon fat. Once melted, reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the cut-side up of peaches with half of the sugar mixture, the salt and the pepper. Place them cut-side done in the skillet, tucking the rosemary in between. Cook for 5 minutes, or until cut sides are caramelized and golden. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on the un-cut side of the peaches. Drizzle a bit of bacon grease (1-2 teaspoons) over the peaches, then place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the peaches so they are cut-side up. Roast for another 5-10 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, discarding the rosemary.

4. Assembling the Peaches: Place the caramelized peach halves onto a plate and put a piece of blue cheese into the center, followed by a drizzle of white balsamic reduction and a mound of shaved serrano. Garnish the top with fresh basil and chives, along with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and some more balsamic reduction. Enjoy with a glass of white wine.

inspired by: sugar roasted peaches

Summer Roasted Peach Lemonade with Roasted Peach Puree + Honey Simple Syrup

Summer Roasted Peach Lemonade with Roasted Peach Puree +
Honey Simple Syrup

Summer is officially back... and it's back with a bang. It is so damn hot down here in Atlanta, I can barely even step outside before passing out. I'm literally counting down the days until Autumn returns. Until then, it's time to embrace the heat and enjoy signature cocktails, using the grill, and having cookouts with friends and family. And when I think summer days in Georgia, the first thing that comes to all of our minds are peaches. Peaches, peaches, peaches. Peaches on everything. Since they are just coming into season, I bought two bags of them at the farmer's market yesterday. I knew I wanted to make something refreshing, so I ended up deciding to make homemade peach lemonade. I put my own little twist on it by roasting the peaches with honey and turbinado sugar. I absolutely love roasting fruit, it concentrates their sweetness and gives off the most luxurious syrup. After you roast them, let them cool a bit and try to peel off as much of the skin as you can. If you can't get some that's fine because we will end up straining out the big flecks and pieces before serving. Then, all you have to do is puree the roasted peaches until as smooth as possible. I used meyer lemons for my lemonade because I love their sweetness, but any lemon will do to be honest. To sweeten the mix, I made a honey simple syrup. Whenever I make lemonade, I always make honey simple syrup. It enhances the lemon and gives it the most unbelievable balance with just a hint of floral notes. The thing about lemonade is that it is about as Southern as you can get.... uh, besides sweet tea of course. But then you add in roasted peach puree, and well, you've hit the maximum of southern-ness (if you know what I mean). This is great for a picnic, a lemonade stand, or even boozy (hey hey!). We spiked ours with vodka, cointreau, and fresh muddled peaches -- lemme tell you, it was awesome. So go on y'all... make it while the weather is still scorchin' hawt. It will quench your thirst indeed!!

a view from the top 

ready to gulp down...

how cute are these mason jars?!

For the Honey Simple Syrup:

1 ½C Water

1C Honey

¼C Sugar

For the Roasted Peaches:

5-6 Large Peaches, Seed Removed & Split in Half

Honey, For drizzling

Sugar, For Sprinkling

For the Summer Peach Lemonade:

Roasted Peaches, Cooled & Pureed (make sure to remove the skins)

Prepared Honey Simple Syrup, Chilled

2C Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (I prefer Meyer Lemons, but regular lemons are fine)

4C Cold Water (or more if you want it less strong)

Directions:

1. For the Honey Simple Syrup: Place the honey, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil, and simmer until the honey is completely dissolved. Pour in the syrup into a container and let it cool completely in the refrigerator until chilled, for about an hour.
2. For the Roasted Peaches: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare the peaches by cutting them in half and removing their center seed. Toss the peaches with the honey and place them cut-side down in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, and then flip them over, sprinkle heavily with sugar, and continue roasting them for another 15-20 minutes. For the last 5 minutes of roasting, turn the oven up to broil and let the fruit flesh caramelize and brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely. After cooling, remove the peach peels and puree them in a food processor until smooth.
3. For the Summer Peach Lemonade: In a large pitcher, combine the peach puree, honey simple syrup, lemon juice, and cold water. Stir to incorporate, and then strain to remove any solids. Chill the peach lemonade overnight or until cold. Enjoy on a hot summer day.

Vanilla Bean-Roasted Peach Bellini’s with Strawberry Puree Ice Cubes

Vanilla Bean-Roasted Peach Bellini's with Strawberry Puree Ice Cubes

What's more fitting than a Bellini or Mimosa on a Sunday-Brunch-kinda-morning? I'm a sucker for any champagne cocktail, so when we recently got engaged, I knew I had to make a specialty drink for our little pre-engagement party. These were perfect, absolutely perfect. We used fresh + ripe Georgia peaches and roasted them in the oven for an even more concentrated peachy flavor, and then boosted them with some vanilla bean for sweetness. The glasses are topped off with champagne and frozen strawberry puree ice cubes. I happened to see some heart shaped ice cube trays at Target the day of our party and just somehow had to incorporate them that night, and this was the perfect way! The hearts were so adorable, and added a lovely sweetness + just the slightest pink tint at the top! We had to put some cute, vintage paper straws because it is an obvious addition. Feel free to do as you please :)

the heart shapes are so cute.

For the Vanilla Bean-Roasted Peach Puree:

4-5 Large Peaches, Seed Removed & Split in Half

Honey, For drizzling

Sugar, For Sprinkling

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

For the Strawberry Puree Ice Cubes:

20oz Fresh Strawberries, Cut into Pieces

½C Sugar

Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice, To Taste (optional)

For the Vanilla Bean-Roasted Peach Bellini’s:
Prepared Roasted Peach Puree, Chilled

Champagne, For Filling

Prepared Strawberry Puree Ice Cubes

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Peach Puree: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare the peaches by cutting them in half and removing their center seed. Toss the peaches with the honey and place them cut-side down in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, and then flip them over, sprinkle heavily with sugar, and continue roasting them for another 15-20 minutes. For the last 5 minutes of roasting, turn the oven up to broil and let the fruit flesh caramelize and brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely. After cooling, remove the peach peels and puree them in a food processor until smooth. Add in the vanilla bean seeds and pulse until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a jar and cool completely.

2. For the Strawberry Puree Ice Cubes: Put the strawberries and their juice in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process the berries until they are pureed.  Add ¼C of the sugar to start and stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Also add a little lemon juice to taste. Pulse until smooth and pour into a measuring cup. Using the measuring cup, gently pour the puree into the heart shaped ice cube containers. Freeze until hard.

3. For the Vanilla Bean-Roasted Peach Bellini’s: Pour some of the vanilla bean peach puree into a flute or glass, and fill the rest of it with champagne to the rim. Add in a few strawberry puree ice cubes and serve with a pretty vintage straw.

Roasted Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad with Basil Chiffonade, Fresh Mint, Mozzarella Pearls, Smoked Almonds, Shaved Red Onion, & Homemade Roasted Strawberry-White Balsamic-Poppy Seed Dressing

Roasted Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad with Basil Chiffonade, Fresh Mint, Mozzarella Pearls, Smoked Almonds, Shaved Red Onion, & Homemade Roasted Strawberry-White Balsamic-Poppy Seed Dressing

Memorial Day is right around the corner. Who's excited? I am! Just another excuse to throw a party and cook yummy comfort food. What are y'all cooking? I normally make fried chicken or BBQ with a pasta salad or potato salad on the side. Most likely, it's always a potato salad. So, I decided to change it up a bit and make a sweet + savory pasta salad filled with fresh, summery ingredients. In the end, I knew I wanted to whip up a Caprese inspired dish, but with a slight twist. But, this Caprese salad wouldn't have no stinkin' tomatoes, it would have beautifully roasted strawberries instead. Yep, strawberry caprese salads are in... actually any fruit would work and it'd be absolutely delish. Oh by they way, roasting fruit is ah-may-zing. I do it almost every time I want to boost the fruity flavor of a component in any of my dishes. But, if you aren't feeling the whole roasting fruit thing, don't worry we added in some fresh strawberries as well. The remaining ingredients include the following: a whole mess of basil, mint, shaved red onion, smoked almonds, mozzarella pearls, & a homemade roasted strawberry-white balsamic-poppy seed dressing. I love poppy seed dressings because of their sweet nature, but also the sensation you get when popping them in your mouth. My take on a poppy seed dressing isn't thick, but more like a creamy vinaigrette. It is thinned out with a white balsamic reduction and boosted in flavor with some mashed, roasted strawberries. It really packs a delightful punch! This recipe would be ideal for any celebrations this weekend or perfect for a picnic!! Enjoy :)

For the Roasted Strawberries:

24oz Fresh Strawberries, Halved & Hulled

6T Maple Syrup

6T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1t Salt (a scant teaspoon)

3T Port

Homemade Balsamic Reduction

For the Roasted Strawberry-White Balsamic-Poppy Seed Dressing:

¼C White Balsamic Vinegar

1T Honey

 ¼C Mayo (or you can increase it to ½C for a creamier dressing)

1T Poppy Seeds

8oz Roasted Strawberries

Salt & Pepper, To Taste (and a pinch of sugar if needed)

For the Roasted Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad:

1lb Pasta, Cooked Al Dente & Cooled

16oz Roasted Strawberries

8oz Fresh Strawberries, Halved & Hulled (this is optional, but I like the combination)

1 Bunch of Fresh Basil, Chiffonade (we like a whole mess of basil)

2T Fresh Mint, Minced

24oz Mozzarella Pearls

½C Red Onion, Thinly Shaved

1C Smoked Almonds, Roughly Chopped

Prepared Roasted Strawberry-White Balsamic-Poppy Seed Dressing

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Strawberries: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use two rimmed baking sheets and line them with a silpat or parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and port until incorporated. Cut the strawberries in half and hull them. Place the strawberry pieces into the bowl with the maple syrup mixture and toss to cover the berries. Arrange the strawberries in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until their juice begins to thicken, but do not burn. Gently scrape the strawberries into a boll and fold in the port and balsamic reduction.

2. For the Roasted Strawberry-White Balsamic-Poppy Seed Dressing: Add the white balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook to reduce for 5-10 minutes, or until thick and syrupy. Set this aside until ready to use. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo and poppy seeds until they are fully incorporated. Slowly drizzle in the white balsamic reduction while whisking to form a smooth & slightly creamy dressing. Add in 8oz of the roasted strawberries and mash with a fork to break them up into small to medium pieces. Taste the dressing and season to taste, adding salt, pepper, sugar, or a splash of vinegar to taste if needed.

3. For the Pasta Salad: To the large bowl that has the dressing in it, add in the cooked pasta, roasted strawberries, fresh strawberries, basil Chiffonade, minced mint, mozzarella pearls, shaved red onions, and smoked almonds. Gently toss the ingredients together until the dressing has completely coated everything. Chill until you are ready to serve.