From “Outstanding in the Field,” by Jim Denevan. Serves 6.
Ingredients
3 ripe peaches
1 cup good-quality grappa
6 tablespoons fresh goat cheese (about 4 ounces), at room temperature
About 2 tablespoons chestnut honey
Directions
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Cut a small X in the base of each peach. Put the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to release the skin. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the ice water to cool. Peel the skin off each peach and cut them in half from the top to the base. Carefully pry each peach apart and discard the pit. Place the peach halves in a dish just large enough to hold them all in a single layer. Pour the grappa on top and gently turn the peaches to coat them well. Set aside at room temperature to macerate for at least 2 hours, periodically turning the peaches.
Arrange the peaches on a serving platter. Put 1 tablespoon goat cheese in the center of each one and drizzle with the chestnut honey before serving.
