Roasted nectarines with green labneh, pomegranate and miso-almond crumb
This recipe has been my absolute favourite from the 2022/23 summer season. I first came up with it when visiting my brother in Cambridge, UK, back in August and have since made versions of it around the world, including at a friend’s apartment in Munich and more recently at my new home in Dunedin, NZ. It’s the perfect dessert to finish off a meal with friends - chuck in the centre of the table for everyone to dig in. Layers of creamy green labneh with basil and mint, miso-maple roasted juicy nectarines, crunchy pomegranate and a vegan/gluten-free almond crumble. It's sure to become your new family favourite.
Top Tip - you can easily swap the nectarines for other stone fruit like peaches or plums - or try a combination of two or three for variety. This recipe makes double the crumb that you need, so store any remaining crumbs in an airtight jar for later use.
hands-on time
25 minutes
50 minutes (+ overnight chill for labneh)
total time
4-6
serves
Ingredients
Green labneh
500g unsweetened Greek-style coconut yoghurt
20 basil leaves
20 mint leaves
40g caster sugar
finely grated zest of ½ lime
Miso-almond crumb
50g ground almonds
20g soft brown sugar
20g chilled coconut oil
½ tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
30g almonds, roughly chopped
Roasted nectarines
4 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
juice of ½ lime
6 ripe nectarines, stones removed and cut into large wedges
To serve
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 handful mint leaves, thinly sliced
1 handful basil leaves, thinly sliced
finely grated zest of ½ lime
Method
Prepare the labneh the day prior. Line a sieve with doubled cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour the yoghurt into the cheesecloth, fold the corners over to cover and place a gentle weight on top (e.g. a mug or block of butter). Place in the refrigerator overnight (or for up to 3 days) to allow some liquid to strain from the yoghurt.
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Line one small and one large oven tray with baking paper.
For the miso-almond crumb, place the ground almonds and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together with a fork. Using your fingers, rub the cold coconut oil and miso paste into the dry ingredients until well combined and forming soft clumps of crumble mixture. Stir through the chopped almonds, scatter the crumble onto the small lined oven tray and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature. You will only need half the crumb for serving - store the remaining crumb in an airtight jar or container.
Increase the oven temperature to 180°C fan-forced (or 200°C conventional).
For the roasted nectarines, in a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, miso and lime juice. Add the nectarine wedges and toss through to coate. Tip the contents of the bowl onto the large lined oven tray, spreading the nectarines into a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes until softened and caramelised but holding their shape. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
To finish the green labneh, place the basil, mint, caster sugar and lime zest in a mortar and pestle. Pound in a circular motion for a minute until the herbs disintegrate and combine with the sugar. Take the labneh from the fridge, bring the corners of the cheesecloth together and twist to squeeze out any extra liquid. Transfer the thickened yoghurt to a bowl, add the herb sugar, and mix until a smooth, thick green labneh is reached.
To serve, spoon the green labneh onto a serving platter andspread out using the back of a spoon to cover the base. Spoon the roasted nectarines and any roasting juices on top of the labneh. Sprinkle generously with the miso-almond, along with the pomegranate seeds, sliced basil, mint and lime zest. Serve immediately.