PEACHES ARE OFTEN PAIRED WITH WINE in Italy – as an aperatif, I am partial to a peach bellini. I also enjoy them baked with a traditional almondy stuffing and served topped with a prosecco-flavoured zabaglione. Here is an effortless way to transform ripe peaches into a lovely dessert. If you don’t have any vin santo, use a aweet Marsala wine or a splash af Amaretto liqueur, Whatever you have to hand.

SERVES 4

• 100g granulated or caster sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 vanilla pod, slit open
• 100ml vin santo
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 8 firm but ripe peaches, stoned and quartered
• good-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve

Put the sugar water into a medium heavy-based saucepan (that will hold the peaches) over a medium-low heat.  Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and cook the syrup to a light caramel colour. Remove from the heat. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod directly into the pan and stir in the vin santo and butter.

Return the pan to a medium heat and stir the sauce until it is smooth. Add the peaches and cook for a few minutes until they have softened slightly but are still holding their shape. Take the pan off the heat.

Divide the peaches and sauce between serving bowls and top each one with a generous scoop of very cold vanilla ice cream.

Serve an once

Dolmades Recipe

THESE STUFFED VINE LEAVES ARE NOT DIFFICULT

To make, but rolling them does take time, particularly as I usually  double the recipe to feed a crowd.  I try to make it a family affair and enlist the kids help – the best way to persuade them that something is really good to eat. If you are cooking the rice from scratch, you’ll need about 200g uncooked weight.

SERVES 4

• 200g Packet vine leaves in brine
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 1 Large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 400g Cooked white rice, preferably long-grain
• 100g Pine nuts, toasted
• 100g Sultanas
• 1/4 Tsp ground allspice
• ½ Tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 2 Ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
• Small handful of flat – leaf parsley , chopped
• Small handful of mint, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• About 300ml vegetable stock
• juice of ½ lemon, plus extra to drizzle
• Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Preparation:

To remove excess salt from the vine leaves, put them into a large bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for a few minutes, then carefully drain off the liquid.
Rinse under cold water and drain again.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Tip into a bowl and add the cooked rice, pine nuts, sultanas, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, tomatoes, herbs and seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning (as the dolmates will be served cold, you need to season generously).

Now stuff the vine leaves with the rice filling. following my guide (on the preceding pages).
Drape a clean, wet tea towel in a wide pan to lie flat on the base, with the sides overhanging the edge of the pan. pack the vine leaves on top in tight, neat layers.
Add the stock, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

Cover the dolmades with a piece  of baking parchment, and then place a small heatproof plate that just fits inside the pan on top. ( this will prevent the dolmades from unwrapping during cooking.) Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for an hour.

Remove the plate and then carefully take the dolmades out of the pan by lifting the tea towel. Transfer to  a tray and leave to cool. Chill for a few hours, or overnight if ahead. Take the dolmades out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to serve.

MIDDLE EASTERN