Poached peaches with a strawberry and sparkling Vouvray sauce

This dish is from the Tours/Valley of the Loire region. The region around the Loire is often referred to as the "garden of France" because fruits and vegetables grow very well in the mild climate.

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 6 ripe peaches
• 6 cups water
• 400 g (14 oz) sugar
• ½ vanilla pod, cut open
• 3 tbsp whipped cream
• 500 g (1 lb) strawberries
• ½ cup sparkling Vouvray wine
• 3 tbsp finely cut peeled pistachios

Instructions

Gently drop the peaches into a pan of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain the peaches and peel carefully.

Bring the 6 cups of water with 350 g (12 oz) of the sugar and the vanilla pod to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add the peeled peaches and simmer for about 10 minutes. Allow the peaches to cool in the syrup.

Beat in the remaining sugar and whipped cream.

Blend the strawberries into a coarse purée. Fold the strawberries and the sparkling wine into the cream and refrigerate until needed.

Place the drained peaches in a serving bowl. Spoon the strawberry sauce over the fruit, sprinkle with pistachios and serve.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd .

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.