Pèches Cardinal
(Poached peaches with raspberry puree)
- 6 cups water
- 8 large ripe but firm peaches, peeled, halved and stoned
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 four-inch piece of vanilla bean or 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
In a heavy 3-4 quart saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves (I only stir a couple of times at the beginning to mix the sugar in). Boil this syrup briskly for 3 minutes, then reduce heat as low as possible. Add the peeled peach halves and vanilla and poach them uncovered at a very low simmer for 10 – 20 minutes, or until they are barely tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Refrigerate the peaches in the syrup until they are cold. (They keep this was for several days).
- Sauce Cardinal (this is a little bit of a pain but worth it)
- 2 ten-ounce packages frozen raspberries, defrosted and thoroughly drained (I use the kind without syrup)
2 tablespoons superfine sugar (this is not powdered sugar, you can now find this in the grocery stores but regular sugar works too – may have to stir a little longer to dissolve).
- 1 tablespoon kirsch (kirsch is the best but if I don’t have it I use Cointreau or orange flavored liqueurs)
With the back of a large spoon, puree the raspberries through a fine sieve (this is the tedious part) into a small mixing bowl. (I find that if I put about half the package at a time and just keep pushing through the sieve it works – I also use another spoon to take the stuff off the other side of the sieve periodically). Stir 2 tablespoons of superfine sugar and the kirsch into the raspberry puree. Refrigerate, tightly covered. (This also keeps for a few days)
- Crème Chantilly
- ¾ cup heavy cream thoroughly chilled.
- Garnish: Whole fresh raspberries or defrosted frozen
- 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
- raspberries (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
There is a long explanation of what to do – but basically make whipped cream that forms soft peaks.
To serve: transfer chilled peach halves with a slotted spoon to individual dessert dishes or arrange them attractively on a large platter. If you wish, you can place the halves on top of one another to resemble whole peaches. (Discard syrup or save it to use for poaching fruit again – I just keep whatever peaches you didn’t use for dessert tomorrow). Mask each of the peaches thoroughly with the Sauce Cardinal. Decorate the peaches with Crème Chantilly. Then garnish with whole raspberries.
I sometimes like to serve it this way: put a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream in the bottom of a dish, put two halves of the peaches over ice cream to enclose the scoop then drizzle with the Sauce Cardinal. I don’t use the Crème Chantilly.
- Serves 8
(Foods of the World by Time/Life: Recipes: The Cooking of Provincial France)