My but this is a naughty little treat. It does redeem itself however by virtue of the fact that it contains at least two of your five a day. It is also a real good looker of a dessert – as soon as one person in the café orders this, everyone wants a portion.
SELF-INDULGENCE FOR 1
FOR THE CHILLI SYRUP*
1½ tbsp sekanjebin (see recipe below)
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses/paste
juice and grated zest of 1 lime
½ tsp chilli (red pepper) flakes
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of salt
big handful of fresh mint, shredded
rose petals (optional)
FOR THE PEACHES
a really fat knob of butter + splash of oil to prevent burning
2 ripe peaches, halved and stoned
1 tbsp barberries, washed (or use redcurrants or cranberries)
TO SERVE
ice cream
extra mint
To make the Sekanjebin, boil 500ml/18fl oz/generous 2 cups water with 700g/1lb 9oz/3½ cups sugar and 100ml/3½fl oz/scant ½ cup vinegar. Cool before shredding ½ bunch of mint.
Whisk the ingredients for the chilli syrup together and set aside to macerate.
When you are ready to cook, melt the butter in a frying pan and place the peaches cut-side uppermost in the pan. Sizzle for a few minutes, then flip the peaches so that they are cut-side down in the pan. Add the chilli syrup and turn the heat down. Allow to bubble for a good 5 minutes, or until the peaches are soft. Right at the end, add the barberries, stirring well, then take off the heat.
Spoon the peaches on to a plate, place a dollop of ice cream in the middle and decorate with mint. It looks kind of wowsers, no?
Tip
*This syrup is a great thing to have hanging around in your fridge. Need a quick pudding? Serve slices of fruit with this on the side as a funky chilli dipping sauce.
The featured recipe is from Persepolis: Vegetarian Recipes from Peckham, Persia and beyond by Sally Butcher.
