Cornmeal-Olive Oil Cake with Poached Peaches in Rosemary-Honey Syrup

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• Poached Peaches in Rosemary-Honey Syrup, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cornmeal.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs, egg yolk, milk, olive oil and lemon zest until frothy. Add the sugar and honey, and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat until the batter is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from the pan and transfer to a cake plate.

To serve, slice and top each piece with poached peaches and their syrup.

Poached Peaches in Rosemary-Honey Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 to 1 1/2 pounds firm unpeeled ripe peaches (3 to 4), cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, honey and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary, and simmer until thick and fragrant, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the peaches. Cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Serve the peaches with the syrup warm or at room temperature.