ROASTED PEACH CHAMOMILE JAGGERY

This recipe came about at the height of that first pandemic summer. I was deep into recipe development, and India, the furthest place I had last traveled to, remained a close inspiration. During that time, I was reaching for the spices that felt most comforting to me. Juniper always reminds me of home and the wide juniper bushes that outlined the field of my childhood home. Cardamom and black pepper, which hail from India, are warming and fragrant in contrast to the sweet, juicy peach. I use jaggery instead of brown sugar here for its deeper complexity of flavor; if you can’t find it, brown sugar will do.

The herby floral note here is subtle: it’s chamomile. You can use either fresh or dried. If using fresh, crush the flowers so the oil mingles with the juiciness of the peach. Finally, the richness of the sweet-and-salty crème fraîche brings the dish together in the most decadent of ways.

The one thing I must stress is that you eat this at the absolute pinnacle of peach season. It is summer perfection.

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Roasted Peaches

serves 4 (one half peach each or 2 if you are extra greedy. ; ))

2 peaches, halved and pitted

4 tablespoons ghee, melted

4 tablespoons jaggery

3 juniper berries, crushed

2 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed

2 tablespoons crushed fresh chamomile blossoms (or 1 tablespoon dried)

Pinch of coarsely ground black pepper

Savory Crème Fraîche

½ cup crème fraîche

3 juniper berries, crushed

1 tablespoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt

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Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Wash, halve, and pit the peaches. Set them cut-side up in a small baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the jaggery, crushed juniper, cardamom, and black pepper.

Warm the ghee until liquid, then drizzle each peach half with about a tablespoon.

Top each peach with the jaggery-and-spice mix, then a little crushed chamomile.

Roast for 15 minutes, or until the peaches are soft.

For the crème fraîche: Stir the crushed juniper, maple syrup, and flaky sea salt gently into the crème fraîche.

Spoon the crème fraîche over the warm roasted peaches and serve.