GRILLED CHICKEN & STONE FRUIT WITH CHIPOTLE-PEACH MARINADE

the other morning i woke up to this view. it was the most perfect of perfect new york mornings. there was not a cloud in the sky to block me from the skyline of lower manhattan. i actually stayed in bed hitting my snooze button for an extra 10 minutes just so that i could enjoy it a little longer. and then i did something that i never do. i called into work and used one of my prudently saved vacation days. it may have just been the best wednesday that i've had all year.

after wandering around my empty sunlit apartment for a few minutes, giggling (like a schoolgirl) to myself at this genius idea, i threw on my sundress and walked a block over for an ice tea. as i stood at the counter i noticed some scones on the shelf and then had a thought... last week i made the MOST scrumptious peach and blueberry crumble/crisp/cobbler (i'm not sure of the difference,) but i know that it tasted wonderful because for the last week i have been eating away at it bit by bit, allowing myself a bowl for dessert each night. at that very moment i had red plums and raspberries in the fridge, intended for another variation of crumble/crisp/cobbler, would they be just as good in a scone?

summer fruit is amazing. cherries, raspberries, peaches, blueberries, nectarines, plums, strawberries. this list is endless. and the best part is that in 15 minutes and barely any additional ingredients you can make a mouth watering dessert or savory dish. add a little sugar, flour, butter and oats and you have a bubbling dessert. add a little olive oil, spice and a grill and you have dinner. now, the scones ended up tasting exactly as i had hoped, they were moist, flaky and buttery. but oh, were they dreadful to look at. that recipe will have to be worked on a little before anything is posted here, but as i packed them up along with my beach towel and chair i did feel a little bit like Ina, testing recipes at home in the sunlight while the the other 9-5ers were hunched over their computers. it was quite a nice little break.

the rest of the day was spent at the beach. brighton beach, as i said last week, is my new go-to spot for beach access. just a 20 minute subway ride away, i spent the afternoon reading the new issues of bon appetit and martha stewart living and listening to the chitter chatter of russian grandmas. on my ride home i thought of what would be the right dinner to finish off a perfect day. something easy, something fast, and something with my absolute favorite summer side... grilled stone fruit.

in my opinion there honestly is nothing better than grilled peaches and nectarines. the heat naturally brings out the spicy-sweetness of the fruit and in all reality, the chicken is just a vehicle to get to the fruit. this sauce can be used as a marinade or as a basting liquid while grilling, depending on how much time you have. it's an easy and delicious summer meal.


Grilled Chicken and Stone Fruit with Chipotle-Peach Marinade
Adapted from Bon Appetit, serves 4

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup peach preserves
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, plus more sprigs for garnish
4 large peaches or nectarines, rinsed, pitted and halved
4 boneless chicken breasts (optional: with skin)

Prepare barbecue or grill pan (medium-high heat) and coat with nonstick spray.

Stir preserves, vinegar, adobo sauce, olive oil, and basil in medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1/3 of the dressing to a small bowl. If marinating, then put remaining sauce into a Ziploc bag and add chicken. Marinade for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.

Brush fruit, then chicken with oil and dressing from small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Grill fruit until slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.

Place one chicken breast on each of four plates. Surround with grilled fruit. Drizzle dressing from medium bowl over chicken and fruit. Garnish with basil sprigs.