Luscious Warm Peaches With Chili and Maple Syrup

WEEK #5 CULINARY FUNDAMENTALS CLASS:

Lasagne from scratch was our task this week--starting with making tomato sauce. We covered the 5 Mother Sauces this week:

1. Béchamel sauce 
2. Espagnole sauce 
3. Hollandaise
4. Ttomato sauce
5. Velouté

Chef Fredericks showed us how to start the pasta d'uva (egg pasta) with the yolks and oil in a well built into a mound of flour. The video shows how to mix the yolks and oil into the flour with a fork--when the dough comes together enough to be handled, then you knead it for 20 minutes, using the minimum flour required to keep it from sticking to the board or your hands. Then, roll it out in the pasta machine (at home I use the KitchenAid pasta attachment) and cut it to size. Fresh pasta doesn't need to be boiled before using.

I purchased some fantastic peaches at the organic market this week and have gone crazy eating them at every meal. I started dreaming of warm peaches with a kick of chili pepper and made myself a snack this afternoon with maple syrup and whipped cream. Triple yummm! This only takes a few minutes to make. WARM PEACHES WITH CHILI AND MAPLE SYRUP: 1 large ripe peach 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. maple syrup dash dessert wine (I used a good Port) sprinkle chili powder whipped cream Halve the peach and remove the pit, slice each half into fourths. Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat and sautee the peach slices briefly on each side. You want them warm on the outside but not mushy on the inside. Pour the maple syrup over them and flip them to coat both sides. Remove them to the serving plate. Add the dash of dessert wine or sherry and reduce the sauce for a minute while whisking. When it is thickened, pour decoratively around the peach slices. Sprinkle them with chili powder and top with whip cream. You are excused if you lick the plate afterwards!