There’s something about grilled fruit that feels like summer turned up loud – all sweetness and smoke. This is the sort of dish you bring out when the peaches are ripe, the grill is hot, and people are hungry but not quite ready for supper. Creamy, cool, and just the right side of indulgent, it’s made for sharing in the warm, golden light of a glorious summery Irish afternoon.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the peaches:
8 ripe peaches
Sea salt
1tsp Kerrygold Soft Butter
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
For the cream cheese:
300g Kerrygold Cream Cheese
1tbsp full fat milk
Dressing:
2tbsp honey
1tsp thyme leaves
2tbsp Sherry Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar
For garnishing:
4tbsp pistachio nuts - toasted or roasted and lightly chopped or smashed
Maldon Sea Salt
Some extra thyme
Instructions:
1. Halve the peaches gently along the seam, twist and ease out the stones.
2. Place the halved peaches in a bowl with a generous knob of butter, a pinch of sea salt, and a few sprigs of thyme.
3. Toss them gently so they glisten, ready for the heat.
4. Set a griddle pan over a high flame until it’s very hot – almost smoking. (If the sun’s out, and the BBQ is going, even better).
5. While the pan heats, tip the cream cheese into a bowl with a splash of milk – just enough to loosen.
6. Whisk briskly for a couple of minutes (an electric hand whisk helps here) until the mixture is light, airy.
7. In another small bowl, bring together the dressing – whatever you’re using: something sharp, maybe a little honeyed or mustardy, to meet the peaches’ sweetness. Set aside.
8. Once the griddle is hot enough, lay the peach halves cut side down and leave them be. After 2 to 3 minutes, they should lift away easily, carrying those deep, dark char marks. Work in batches if needed, setting the grilled peaches aside as you go.
9. Tumble the warm peaches into the dressing bowl and turn them gently to coat – let them sit for a minute or two to soak up the flavour.
To serve:
1. Spoon the whipped cream cheese onto a large serving dish, smoothing and swirling it to create dips and peaks.
2. Nestle the peaches into the cream, letting some sink slightly.
3. Pour over the dressing, making sure it pools into the hollows. Finish with a scattering of crushed pistachios, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and a few thyme leaves.
