This grilled stone fruit dessert is a summertime staple for Bambara executive chef David Bazirgan. His wife first whipped up a version a decade ago, and they’ve returned to the recipe every year since, highlighting peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots that have just come into season. Bazirgan recommends using a hardwood charcoal grill with fig or apple wood for added flavor, and he notes that the fruit should be ripe but still firm enough to hold up to the heat. “The fruit comes off the grill warm and melts the ice cream, which has a nostalgic taste like pie à la mode. The balsamic vinegar adds some sweetness and acidity as well,” he says. “It’s the best of all worlds—sweet, tart and rich, but still very light and summery.”
GRILLED STONE FRUIT
Serves 2-4 people
For the macadamia crumble:
Yields approx. 5 cups
– 3 cups sugar
– 1 cup butter
– 8 tablespoons corn syrup
– 1 cup water
– 4 teaspoons salt
– 2 teaspoons baking soda
– 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 4 cups whole macadamia nuts, toasted
1. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and water in a rondeau pot and cook over a medium flame. Once the mixture is just about caramelized, add the salt, baking soda and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined and then add macadamia nuts.
3. Cook for a couple of minutes and cool on a baking mat or parchment paper. Break into small pieces and pulse in a food processor. Reserve until ready to serve.
For the vanilla bean ice cream base:
Yields approx. 1.5 quarts
– 11 egg yolks
– 2 cups sugar, divided
– 4 cups heavy cream
– 1 whole vanilla bean
1. Slice the vanilla bean in half the long way and scrape out seeds with a paring knife. Put both seeds and shell in a saucepot along with the heavy cream and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1 cup of sugar until completely mixed. When the cream mixture comes to a simmer, turn off the heat. Temper the cream into the yolks by slowly adding the cream one 2-ounce ladle at a time while continually whisking.
3. Once all the cream has been tempered into the yolks, cool the mixture in the fridge. Add the ice cream base to your preferred ice cream maker.
For the grilled stone fruit dessert:
– 1 lb. stone fruit
– Oil for brushing the grill
– 1 cup balsamic vinegar
– 1/4 cup honey
– 1/2 cup macadamia crumble
– 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, homemade or store bought
– Basil leaves for garnish
1. Place balsamic vinegar and honey in a saucepot and reduce about halfway until you reach a syrupy consistency. Cool to room temperature.
2. Cut stone fruit in half and remove the pit and stem. Lightly brush a hot grill with oil and grill stone fruit cut-side down. After 1-2 minutes, flip to the other side and grill another 1-2 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
3. Place some crumble on a plate and arrange stone fruit cut-side up. While the stone fruit is still warm, scoop vanilla ice cream onto the center of each halved piece of fruit. Drizzle balsamic on the plate, ice cream and stone fruit. Garnish with basil leaves.
License to Grill
Local chefs are as at home behind the grill as they are in the kitchen. We tapped a few for their favorite summertime eats.
By Meghan Kavanaugh | Photo Credit: Heath Robbins; Food Styling: Sheila Jarnes | June 2, 2017
David Bazirgan of Bambara
This grilled stone fruit dessert is a summertime staple for Bambara executive chef David Bazirgan. His wife first whipped up a version a decade ago, and they’ve returned to the recipe every year since, highlighting peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots that have just come into season. Bazirgan recommends using a hardwood charcoal grill with fig or apple wood for added flavor, and he notes that the fruit should be ripe but still firm enough to hold up to the heat. “The fruit comes off the grill warm and melts the ice cream, which has a nostalgic taste like pie à la mode. The balsamic vinegar adds some sweetness and acidity as well,” he says. “It’s the best of all worlds—sweet, tart and rich, but still very light and summery.”
GRILLED STONE FRUIT
Serves 2-4 people
For the macadamia crumble:
Yields approx. 5 cups
– 3 cups sugar
– 1 cup butter
– 8 tablespoons corn syrup
– 1 cup water
– 4 teaspoons salt
– 2 teaspoons baking soda
– 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 4 cups whole macadamia nuts, toasted
1. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and water in a rondeau pot and cook over a medium flame. Once the mixture is just about caramelized, add the salt, baking soda and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined and then add macadamia nuts.
3. Cook for a couple of minutes and cool on a baking mat or parchment paper. Break into small pieces and pulse in a food processor. Reserve until ready to serve.
For the vanilla bean ice cream base:
Yields approx. 1.5 quarts
– 11 egg yolks
– 2 cups sugar, divided
– 4 cups heavy cream
– 1 whole vanilla bean
1. Slice the vanilla bean in half the long way and scrape out seeds with a paring knife. Put both seeds and shell in a saucepot along with the heavy cream and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1 cup of sugar until completely mixed. When the cream mixture comes to a simmer, turn off the heat. Temper the cream into the yolks by slowly adding the cream one 2-ounce ladle at a time while continually whisking.
3. Once all the cream has been tempered into the yolks, cool the mixture in the fridge. Add the ice cream base to your preferred ice cream maker.
For the grilled stone fruit dessert:
– 1 lb. stone fruit
– Oil for brushing the grill
– 1 cup balsamic vinegar
– 1/4 cup honey
– 1/2 cup macadamia crumble
– 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, homemade or store bought
– Basil leaves for garnish
1. Place balsamic vinegar and honey in a saucepot and reduce about halfway until you reach a syrupy consistency. Cool to room temperature.
2. Cut stone fruit in half and remove the pit and stem. Lightly brush a hot grill with oil and grill stone fruit cut-side down. After 1-2 minutes, flip to the other side and grill another 1-2 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
3. Place some crumble on a plate and arrange stone fruit cut-side up. While the stone fruit is still warm, scoop vanilla ice cream onto the center of each halved piece of fruit. Drizzle balsamic on the plate, ice cream and stone fruit. Garnish with basil leaves.
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