Vanilla Spice-Rubbed Grilled Peaches With Fresh Goat Cheese - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For the vanilla spice rub
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Peaches
2 peaches (or nectarines)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (1/4 cup)

Preparation

Prepare a grill for medium direct heat.
For the rub, put the sugar in a small bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the sugar using the tip of a sharp paring knife (tuck the bean into a bowl of sugar for vanilla sugar).
Mix the vanilla seeds with the sugar, using the tips of your fingers to break up clumps. Stir in the pepper and cinnamon.
Cut the peaches in half; remove the pits. Brush the cut sides lightly with oil; sprinkle generously with the spice rub (you will not use all the spice rub -- reserve the remaining for another use).
Place the peaches, cut sides up, on a lightly oiled grill; grill until the peaches are starting to soften and the skin side is marked by the grill, about 3 minutes.
Turn; grill until the sugar is nicely golden and caramelized, about 2 minutes (move to a cooler part of the grill if they are browning too quickly).
Turn the peaches cut-side up again; place 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese in the center of each.
Grill peaches until goat cheese is warmed and just beginning to melt, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter.
Sprinkle the goat cheese with a little more of the spice rub.
Serve hot.