New Year resolutions broken already? Instead of beating yourself up about it, why not opt for indulging in something truly delicious and healthy in the form of stone fruit: peaches, nectarines and plums.
These dishes can be created and served individually or as part of a delightful, three course meal.
Here are some recipes to get your resolve – and your taste buds – going:
Char-Grilled Nectarine and Ricotta Bruschetta – Justine Drake
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
4, firm, ripe nectarines, de-pipped and halved
½ cup ricotta cheese
Finely chopped parsley
Grated peel of 1 small lemon
Olive oil, salt and milled pepper
8 slices ciabatta, toasted
Balsamic glaze
Salt and milled pepper
Few handfuls watercress or wild rocket
olive oil, salt and pepper
Method
Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot.
Place nectarines (or peaches) cut side down and cook until griddle lines appear. Remove and set aside.
Mash ricotta with parsley and lemon. Add a splash of olive oil and season to taste.
Top ciabatta toasts with ricotta, slice nectarines into quarter and arrange on top of ricotta. Drizzle with ricotta glaze, top with leaves and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of seasoning.
Hot Smoked Trout and Nectarine Salad with Fresh Herbs – Anke Roux
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1-2 fillets hot or cold smoked trout fillets
1 cucumber, seeded and shaved into ribbons
1 avacodo, diced
2 cups (500ml) baby herb salad leaves
4 nectarines, sliced
handful of coriander leaves
2 spring onions, finely sliced
dressing:
1 Tbsp (15ml) fish sauce
1 Tbsp (15ml) honey
2 Tbsp (30ml) rice vinegar
2 Tbsp (30ml) canola or seed oil
1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
1 Tbsp (15ml) finely chopped ginger
1 red chilli, diced
Method
If using uncooked trout, panfry for 3 minutes a side, rest and then flake.
Toss salad ingredients on a platter and scatter over fish.
Whisk dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad. Serve.
Roasted Plums with Sweet Dukkah Sprinkle – Anke Roux
(Serves 4 – 6)
Ingredients:
8-10 plums, halved
¼ cup (60ml) brown sugar
Dukkah:
1/2 packet (50g) pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup (60ml) flaked almonds
2 Tbsp (30ml) mixed black and white sesame seeds
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5ml) fennel seeds
grating of nutmeg
for serving:
Ice cream, custard or cream
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Halve plums and remove their stones.
Place in a shallow baking dish and scatter over sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until tender.
Place all dukkah ingredinets in a dry pan and toast until fragrant.
Serve plums hot, topped with icecream, cream or custard and a generous scattering of Dukka.
