Emeril Lagasse's Topping Tip For The Most Delicious Grilled Peaches

Sometimes, the sweetest things in life are also the most simple. For example, one of the most satisfying treats you can have is grilled fruit. Fresh juicy stone fruits like peaches are wonderful when cooked on the grill, especially during the summer when the fruit is at its peak (as long as you store it correctly). While grilled peaches on their own are incredibly delicious, it's also easy to take them to the next level with the addition of two ingredients. According to celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, all you need to top off perfect grilled peaches is mascarpone and honey (via YouTube).

Before you dig in to the final product, you'll have to grill some peaches first. In a video for his YouTube channel, Lagasse walks Martha Stewart through the steps of whipping up a plate of these scrumptious snacks. First, he slices six fresh peaches in half, removes the pit, and drizzles the fruit with olive oil and salt to bring out the sweetness. Next Lagasse places the peaches flesh-side down on an outdoor grill, closes the grill hood, and lets everything cook for about 30 seconds. Finally he removes the peaches from the grill and gives each half a dollop of mascarpone cheese and a spoonful of honey. The final result is warm, creamy, sweet, and oh-so tasty.

This combination works because both honey and mascarpone are so versatile. Mascarpone, a super-soft Italian cheese, is naturally sweet and easy to spread. It's often turned into a cream and used to make desserts like this amazing hazelnut tiramisu, but it can also be incorporated into recipes to inject a mild smoothness into savory dishes such as eggs or pasta. Luscious mascarpone mixed with sweet, sticky honey over peaches dripping with juice and hot from the grill is definitely a powerful trio.

If you don't have access to fresh peaches, you can also make this dish with canned peaches. The only difference is that you'll have to remove as much moisture from the peaches as possible, or you may not achieve as good of a sear. You can also use this technique with other stone fruits like plums or apricots, or you could switch up the toppings. In Emeril Lagasse's video, his guest, Martha Stewart, suggests another pairing for the mascarpone instead of honey: brown sugar and vanilla. Should you go with these flavors, you may still want to keep a bottle of honey on hand. After all, it's the ultimate cheat for grill marks.