Nectarines are a cousin to the peach, but have a smooth rather than fuzzy skin. Their brilliant orange or bright white flesh is both sweet and tangy. Margaret Fulton notes in her book, "Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery: The Complete Kitchen Companion from A to Z," that nectarines can easily replace peaches in most kinds of dessert recipes. Baked peaches are a popular summer treat. Substitute nectarines for peaches to achieve a slightly different taste, as well as some nutrients like vitamin C and potassium.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3
Wash each nectarine and cut it in half. Remove the pits using a sharp knife.
Step 4
Place the nectarines, skin side down, in your baking dish.
Step 5
Pour apple juice around the bottom of the nectarines.
Step 6
Dot the surface of each nectarine half with a small amount of the melted butter using a basting brush.
Step 7
Sprinkle the nectarine halves with brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Step 8
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the nectarines for 30 minutes, or until very soft. Pierce with a sharp knife to check for softness.
Step 9
Remove the baked nectarines from the oven and cool slightly. Serve with low-fat plain yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon and a fresh mint leaf for garnish.
Tips and Warnings
- Allspice, apple pie spice and ginger are other flavor options for baked nectarines. Replace the brown sugar with white sugar for similar taste but a lighter color of syrup. Use orange juice in place of the apple juice for a tangier version of baked nectarines. For a summer treat, serve with homemade vanilla ice cream or drizzle with honey while still warm.
- Do not allow the juice to completely evaporate from the bottom of the baking dish. If the juice does evaporate, pour a bit more in during baking. This prevents the nectarine skins from sticking to the pan and also helps them cook evenly throughout.
Things You'll Need
- Baking dish
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 4 large nectarines
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- 1 cup apple juice
- 2 tbsp. melted butter
- Basting brush
- 4 tbsp. brown sugar
- 4 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for serving
- 4 tsp. cloves
- Low-fat plain yogurt
- Fresh mint leaves
References
- "The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook"; Debra Daniels-Zeller; 2010
- "Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery: The Complete Kitchen Companion from A to Z"; Margaret Fulton; 2009
Member Comments