11.08.2005

Recipe: Poached Pears


Simplicity is elegance when you serve poached pears with a cheese course or as a dessert. They are so easy to make and your guests/family will enjoy the sweet and fall spiced goodness.
  • 4-6 bosc pears (this is my particular favorite pear, but you can use any pear you like)
  • 1 cup white wine
  • simple syrup (1 part sugar: 2 parts water)
  • 3-4 star anise
  • 1 cup. sugar
  • 6-8 black peppercorns
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 10 cloves
  1. Peel and cut about an 1/8 inch off the bottom, so they sit nicely in the pot and eventually, on the recipents plate.
  2. Place remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
  3. Sit pears inside pot and turn down to a medium simmer.
  4. Cover pot with a piece of foil or parchment paper and simmer for 20-30 minutes until pears are fully cooked through (test with pearing knife).
Serve hot (by microwaving for 2-3 minutes before you serve them if you made them earlier in the day) or chilled (straight from the fridge).
For an extra kick, strain the cooking liquid of the spices and return to medium high heat to simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency/very thick. You can drizzle the sauce over the pears before serving for extra sweetness.

    1 comment:

    Shanna said...

    I find, that if you are going to enjoy the pears with cheese, the extra acidity of white wine works great; if you want to enjoy the pears as a dessert, use a Muscat, Reisling or Gewurztraminer - they all work great.