Peach Two-Ways w/Lemon-Ginger Infused Custard Sauce

Imagine the combined flavors of basil-marinated juicy peaches, the caramelized taste of roasted peaches and the velvety smoothness of a custard sauce, subtly infused with lemon and ginger. You want? Well, here are the recipes:

Basil Marinated Peach Salad
4-6 ripe peaches
handful fresh basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup raw cane sugar (you can use plain sugar)
juice of a lemon
a pinch of grated lemon peel

Basil gives this peach salad a hint of savory herb, which contrasts beautifully with the natural sweetness of the peach. Your palate will relish these flavors, especially when they mingle with the subtle hints of lemon and ginger in the custard sauce.

• As you like, peel the peaches or use skin-on. 
• Cut the peaches in half, remove the pit and then section into parts. 
• Place in a bowl and add all other ingredients. 
• Spoon to mix carefully and leave to macerate for at least one hour, preferably 2-3 hours. By then, the liquid formed is sweet and rich with peach, lemon and basil flavors, and your peach salad is ready to be served

Roasted Peaches

1 peach, per person

a small pinch of sugar per peach half

• Preheat the oven to 180C (360F).
• Leaving the skin on, cut the peaches in half and remove the pit. 
• Sprinkle a pinch of sugar (raw cane or granulated sugar) into each pit-hole.
• place skin-side down on a non-stick baking tray and roast in the moderate hot oven for 20-30 minutes
• serve immediately, with a drizzle of the custard sauce and the marinated peach salad spooned over

Lemon-Ginger Infused Custard Sauce
3 large egg yolks
3 tbsp granulated sugar (or more to taste)
300 ml full milk
4-5 thin slices of fresh ginger
1 small piece of lemon peel

• Add the ginger and lemon to the milk and bring slowly to a boil, simmer briefly to infuse. 
• In the meantime, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the cornflour
• Drizzle in a little of the hot milk to temper the egg mixture, whisk. Add some more milk and whisk in. 
• When egg mixture is used to the temperature of the milk, add the rest of the milk. 
• Pour the mixture back into the pan and warm over low heat until it thickens. Be careful not to "scramble" the mixture. Your custard sauce is ready when it coats to the back of a spoon and separates when you run your finger across.
• strain (the ginger and lemon peel is still in there) and serve hot or cold.

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