Peach Melba

Peach Melba

Ingredients for the High Country Orchards peaches: 

1 bottle dry, crisp white wine 
1 cup sugar 
1 vanilla bean, split 
1 cinnamon stick 
2 whole cloves 
2 High Country Orchards Palisade peaches 

For the Melba sauce: 
1 pint fresh raspberries 
1 tablespoon currant jelly 
1 tablespoon corn starch 
2 tablespoons sugar 
2 tablespoons Chambord 

1 pint vanilla ice cream 
8 ladyfingers or other crisp, light cookies 

For the peaches: 
1. Combine the wine, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves in a sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat until the liquid is barely bubbling. Leave at this low simmer for 15 minutes to infuse the wine with the flavors of the spices. 
2. While the wine syrup is simmering, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Boil the High Country Orchards Palisade peaches for one minute to loosen their skins then run them under cool water. Peel the peaches, cut them in half, and remove the pits. Slide the peach halves into the simmering wine and poach them until tender, about 10-20 minutes, depending on how firm the peaches are to begin with. 
3. Remove the peaches from the wine syrup and let both cool. (The syrup can be reserved and used again.) When the peaches and syrup are both cool they can be recombined for storage and kept refrigerated. 

For the Melba sauce: 
1. Puree the raspberries with the currant jelly then pass them through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the seeds. 
2. In a small saucepan combine the corn starch with just enough raspberry juice to dissolve it then add the remaining juice and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook the sauce until thickened then remove from heat and stir in the Chambord. Cool the sauce and keep refrigerated. 

To serve: 4 servings 
1. Scoop the ice cream into four dishes. Place a peach half, cut side down, over the ice cream in each dish. Spoon Melba sauce over the peaches and garnish with cookies.