You may have noticed that after two years of writing for this column, there have been very few meat recipes from me. This is because in my kitchen meat is rarely the star of a dish; it’s usually the bit on the side. That’s not to say that when I do cook meat it isn’t treated with the utmost respect. However, I love to champion humble fruit and vegetables for three reasons. Firstly, because here in New Zealand we Kiwis don’t tend to eat our five-plus fruit and veg a day. Second, they are packed full of so many incredible nutrients that keep us healthy – fibre, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. Finally, I just love ’em – growing, cooking and eating them. So I like to find ways to make eating these amazing foods simple, fun and tasty. And since summer is here and BBQ season is in full swing, here is a fruit-driven dessert recipe to add to your BBQ repertoire.

Barbecued Peaches

Serves 4

4 peaches
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 teaspoons butter, melted (or coconut oil for dairy free)
8 teaspoons orange juice (or liqueur)
To serve:
½ cup fresh raspberries (optional)
1 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt, or ice cream, whipped cream or dairy-free cream (optional)

Method

Heat the BBQ to a moderate high heat.
Cut the peaches in half and remove the pips.
Mix together the cardamom, nutmeg, melted butter and orange juice. Brush the spice mix over the cut side of the peaches.
Place the peaches cut side down, on the BBQ grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Turn them over and brush with a little more of the spice mix. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the peaches begin to soften. Carefully remove from the BBQ to keep any tasty juices that may be in the pip hollow.
Serve with the raspberries and yoghurt, ice cream or whipped cream.
Be sure to scrape and wipe the BBQ plate quickly after use and brush lightly with oil to protect the plate from being affected by the fruit acids.

Variations

Use apples or pears with cinnamon instead of the cardamom; serve with vanilla custard.
Use figs; serve with a piece of blue cheese and a couple of plain crackers.
Replace the peaches with apricots or nectarines.
Use blueberries or strawberries instead of raspberries.
Use pineapple and a little rum; serve with diced mango and coconut yoghurt for a tropical delight.