Cilantro Peach Cobbler

Our Cilantro menu will include a cilantro flavored ‘dessert’ recipe.  It may be the most surprising use of cilantro.  A sweet treat with just a taste of “earthiness”.  (I used frozen peaches, for now, but come summer the locally fresh, ripe ones will be put to good use).  

Cilantro in a dessert recipe may sound a little weird but the flavor is actually very subtle.  It’s based on a traditional, sticky-sweet Southern cobbler.

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

4 cups (about 1 ½ pounds) peeled, sliced ripe peaches

Garnish: Heavy cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;  put the butter in a 9-inch square baking pan and let butter melt in the oven.

Whisk together  cilantro leaves, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.  Whisk in milk until smooth.  Pour over melted butter;  do not stir.  Distribute peaches over batter.

Bake for 1 hour, until top is golden and set.  Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with cream or ice cream.

Yield:  6 to 8 servings

Adapted from ‘Desserts from an Herb Garden’

Linda