Poached summerfruit

There are a couple things I cannot resist when I am grocery shopping and one of those things is fruit. Lovely, ripe and fragrant fruit. Let’s face it; all during the wintermonths we have to do with no fruit or fruit that is hardly edible at all. But right now is the season of abundance when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. So, being me, I went a little bit overboard when shopping. I bought apricots, cherries (you’ve seen the cherry clafoutis), raspberries, blue berries and strawberries….

If you’ve been reading the last couple of posts you also now that Tom is in Norway right now, which means… I have to eat all that fruit before it goes bad. And the unfortunately thing about ripe fruit is that you can’t really keep it for very long. So that means I had to come up with a dessert that was incorporating lots of fruit. I had received one of Donna Hay’s cookbooks a couple of weeks ago, which is all about fruit (Donna Hay Simple Essentials; Fruit) and while I was enjoying my morning coffee I went through the book. I wanted to do something with the apricots, as I don’t really like them in their natural state.

I think it is definitely one of those fruits that needs something done to it, in order to bring out the best in flavour. There are not a lot that need something, but apricots for me, do… So when I saw the recipe for poached summerfruit it just sounded perfect and… it did not disappoint. Absolutely delicious and soooo easy to make! I didn’t have any cream or icecream but that would be perfect with this too.

I was a bit worried about the stones of the apricots. I had to first remove the skins by peeling them (instructions follow) but afterwards they become so soft that removing the stones would make them entirely squashed. Also tasty but not so good looking. But once poached they were so soft that you could just scoop out the stones while eating.

To remove the skin, place the peaches, apricots or nectarines in a  large saucepan of simmering water and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of iced water for 5 minutes or until the skin start to wrinkle. Remove the skin by gently peeling it away with your fingers. Squeeze lemonjuice over the fruit to prevent browning.

Works great! And doesn’t it looks beautiful and summery?

Here is the recipe! From Donna Hay’s Fruit

Poached Summer Fruit

2 cups (500 ml) water

1 cup (220 gr) sugar

1 vanillabean, split and seeds scraped

What'r yu're doing boss??

4 peaches, peeled

4 nectarines, peeled

4 apricots, peeled

2 2/3 cup raspberries

2 2/3 cup blueberries

Place the water, sugar and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir untill the sugar is dissolved. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour the hot syrup over the peeled fruit and allow to cool. To serve, toss the raspberries and blueberries through the stone fruit and place in bowls, Remove the vanilla bean and spoon over the syrup. Serves 4.

I only used apricots as they were beginning to ripen fastest. Now that photo of Gizmo is her sitting on my lap and looking up at me while I am pointing the camera at here. Can you tell she is wondering why I am moving around so much? And ok, don’t pay any attention to those striped pants… It’s one of those summery trousers I bought ages ok and only wear in the house. Very comfy but not very flattering…

Different angle. Can you see me stretching my arms to take the photo?