Poached Peaches

By maredan

Ingredients

• 6 * 6 ripe but firm freestone peaches
• 2 * 2 cups water
• 1 * 1 cup sugar
• * Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 * 1/2 vanilla bean

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Using a small knife, make an x-shaped incision in the base of each peach. Drop the peaches into boiling water for about 15 seconds. Drain. Slip into ice water to stop the cooking. Peel the peaches. Cut in half and remove the pits. Set aside. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the tip of a knife, scrape out the seeds. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla pod and seeds to a boil. Add the peach halves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, depending on ripeness. Let cool in the syrup. (Be careful not to overcook the peaches before removing them from the heat, as they will continue cooking while cooling.) Transfer to jars and refrigerate.
2. Variation: For plain poached peaches, omit the vanilla bean.
3. Variation: Muscat-poached peaches - use sweet Muscat wine (such as Samos) instead of water and omit the vanilla.