Grilled Peaches with Balsamic Honey Reduction and Walnuts

Summertime in San Francisco isn't always perfect grilling weather. It's been foggy for the last month here in the city. We call these foggy months by July-uary or Fogust. It's just too windy and cold. However, it's perfect for indoor grilling.

I've served my grilled peaches as an appetizer or antipasto (before the meal). It's a unique, seasonal dish to start a dinner party off and your guest will be impressed by the light, flavorful dish.  It's a very simple dish and takes less than 15 minutes of total prep/cooking time.



Historically, peaches were native to China and then moved to other peach-producing areas like Iran, France, Italy, Spain and Greece. Cool to know, I think.

I've purchased California organic white peaches to grill today, but you can use any fresh, almost ripe peach.



-- Wash, dry and cut peaches in halve
-- Remove the stone or pit
-- Brush oil on the cut-side of the peach







-- Oil the Staub 12-inch grill pan and preheat to medium-high on a stove top
-- Place the peaces cut-side up for about 2 to 3 minutes
-- Flip peaches to the cut-side down for 4 minutes or less

While waiting for the peaches to cook, start your balsamic reduction.
-- Balsamic vinegar
-- Raw Organic Honey

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon honey until it thickens or until liquid had reduced by one half. Stirring the whole time. Afterwards, remove from heat and let the reduction cool for a few minutes to thicken.




Transfer the peach halves to individual serving dishes, and drizzle with honey balsamic reduction and fresh walnuts.

Ingredients:
-- 1 peaches (1/2 peach per person. If cooking for 4 people, purchase 2 peaches)
-- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
-- 1 tablespoon Raw Organic Honey
-- Walnuts

Tools:
-- Grill Pan
-- Sauce Pan

Roasted Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon Cooked in Staub Dutch Oven

Roasted Chicken with rosemary, butter and lemon. One pot cooking with a Staub dutch oven (9qt). Very easy to make and your home will smell like a French restaurant after a few hours of cooking.

Hands down, I prefer Staub over the more expensive Le Creuset when it comes to my enameled cast-iron cooking vessel. Staub, a traditional French design, is a hand-finished round dutch oven ideal for stews, soups, roasts and braises. This Dutch oven distributes and retains heat evenly and effectively and requires no seasoning.

Another superior feature of Staub is their self-basting lid. The spikes on the lid distribute juices throughout cooking, so food stays moist and flavorful. Durable matte-enamel finish won’t discolor (like Le Creuset), rust or chip. Ceramic base is suitable for all heat sources, including induction.



Right out of the oven and ready to eat just 2.5 hours later.







Start with veggies

-- 3 Red and white potatoes
-- 4 shallots
-- 6 large carrots
-- butter
-- Salt and pepper
-- couple sticks of rosemary
-- whole chicken (organic)

Tools
-- Staub Dutch oven
-- paring Knife
-- Pre-heat oven to 350




Wash the organic chicken well and remove the mysterious little plastic baggie filled with giblets; liver, heart, gizzards and the neck from inside the chicken. Dry the outside of the chicken. Once dry, use a paring knife to cut the skin away from the chicken meat. The knife should be very sharp.




Push the rosemary and lemon under the chicken skin - also use some butter. At this point, start to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.




Place chicken aside and now fill the Staub Dutch oven with the clean veggies




Carrots first - I do not cut them since they keep the chicken above the fat.




After carrots, add the chopped shallots, chopped potatoes, and some salt and pepper




Place chicken on the veggies and drizzle with lemon and butter.




Cover and cook at 350 degrees for two or three hours. I check the chicken after two hours to make sure it's OK. "Hello... You OK in there?"










Done! Remove or drain the drippings and fat from the Staub oven. What's great about this Dutch oven is it can go from oven directly to table.  But, be careful when handling as it's hot and very heavy.   After the Dutch oven has cooled off, it can now go from table to refrigerator.



Day 2 Leftovers
Roasted Chicken Warm Spinach Salad with Lemon



Re-heat the chicken, carrots and potatoes in a 10 inch All-Chald fry pan.




Place the warm chicken, carrots and potatoes on the fresh bed of spinach. Drizzle with lemon, pepper and olive oil.


Day 3 Leftovers
Chicken Frittata with Spinach, potatoes and carrots



I really love this dish. It's great warm, room temp or cold. I've added some Sriracha sauce and a side of cooked barley. I wish I never met you Sriracha sauce! I love you on everything. It adds just the right amount of heat to any dish without over powering flavor.

Check out how I made the Frittata! You'll love it!


Buon Appetito!