Choucroute With Caramelized Pears Recipes

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sugar; cook, stirring, until almost dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pears; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just golden, 12 to 20 minutes. Pour in honey; cook, stirring, until pears are coated and very soft, 3 to 5 minutes.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, combine brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes. Add pears; cook and stir until pears are tender, 5-10 minutes longer. Serve over ice cream if desired.

CLASSIC CHOUCROUTE

Steps:

• Boil ham hocks in unsalted water until tender, at least 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, wash sauerkraut in cold water; drain. Wash again, in hot water; drain and squeeze dry.
• In a heavy, ovenproof pot, melt 3 tablespoons of the fat over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook it until soft and tender; do not brown. Add wine and 1 cup water, then bacon. Cover,and cook 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Season sauerkraut with pepper and a tiny bit of salt; add to pot,covering bacon. Combine garlic, juniper berries, caraway and bay leaf in cheesecloth and tie into a sachet. Bury this in the sauerkraut. Lay a circle of parchment paper directly over sauerkraut, cover, bring to a boil, transfer to oven and bake 1 hour.
• Add pork loin, top with potatoes, and return to oven for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
• About 15 minutes before potatoes are done,add bratwursts and frankfurters to the pot with hocks. Reduce heat to simmer, and heat through. Heat remaining fat in a skillet, and carefully brown blood sausages (they burst if overcooked).
• Add kirsch to sauerkraut; taste and add salt if necessary. Discard herb sachet.
• To serve, slice bacon and pork loin.Cut sausages and hocks into pieces. Put sauerkraut on large platter with meats and potatoes on top and around it. Serve with hot mustard and beer or white Alsatian wine.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• A simple and elegant dessert, Chuck Hughes' caramelized pears are sure to please any crowd.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Melt the butter, and then add the pears, cut-side down, cooking until they are slightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and continue cooking until caramelized, another 5 minutes. Add the bourbon, if using, and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
• Divide the pears among 4 plates, garnish with a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of the caramel sauce and crumbled graham crackers.

CHOUCROUTE WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meats; cook until brown, about 1 minute per side. Add onion; sauté until brown, about 5 minutes. Add pears; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer meats to plate. Add sauerkraut, wine, and allspice to skillet, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Return meats to skillet, arranging atop sauerkraut. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a saute pan on medium, melt the butter then stir in the sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally until it begins to turn golden brown and caramelized. Add brandy and lemon juice to the pan and simmer to incorporate. Add pear slices and cook slowly to tenderize and caramelize.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Halve pears lengthwise; remove cores. Place sugar on a plate.
• Heat a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium. Press cut side of each halved pear in sugar, then place, cut side down, in skillet (fit will be snug). Cook (uncovered) until sugared sides are beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Pour water into skillet. Cover; simmer until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on ripeness), adding more water if sugar begins to burn. Remove pears from skillet with a slotted spoon.
• If liquid in pan is thin, simmer until thickened to a sauce-like consistency; if it is very thick, add more water. Serve sauce over pears.

CHOUCROUTE GARNIE

Steps:

• Place ham hocks in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer hocks to medium bowl. Boil broth until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Place hock meat in medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover hock meat and broth separately; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bratwurst and bacon. Sauté until bacon is crisp and bratwurst is brown, about 10 minutes. Place in bowl with hock meat.
• Add onions, spices and bay leaves to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add apples; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in sauerkraut. Add all meats; press to submerge. Add reserved broth and wine. Boil 10 minutes. Cover choucroute and bake 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half. Dip cut sides into parsley. Arrange sauerkraut and meats on platter. Surround with potatoes. Serve with mustards and horseradish.

SALAD WITH PROSCIUTTO AND CARAMELIZED PEARS AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat orange juice over medium-high heat, whisking often, until it is reduced by 1/4.
• Add to a blender, along with the vinegar, onion, sugar, wine, salt and pepper, and process until smooth. Then, while blending on a low speed, remove cap and slowly drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify (thicken) the dressing. Chill until ready to use.
• Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Saute pears and nuts in butter for 3 minutes. Add sugar and water and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine prosciutto, lettuce and the pear and walnut mixture. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve on a large Italian platter. Enjoy!

QUICK & EASY CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add pears, one cut side down, and cook until browned, then reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes. Turn pears to other cut side and cook 4 minutes. Add sugar and 1 tablespoon water, swirling pan to combine. Turn pears skin side down and cook until sauce is thickened slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and pinch of salt. Serve warm with ice cream.

SIMPLE CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Halve pears lengthwise; remove cores. (A melon baller removes cores easily, but a small spoon works, too.) Place sugar on a plate.
• Heat a large skillet over medium. Press cut side of each halved pear in sugar. Pressing the cut sides of pears in sugar before cooking helps them caramelize. Place cut side down in skillet (fit will be snug). Cook until beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup water. Cover; simmer until pears are tender, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on ripeness), adding more water if sugar begins to burn.
• If liquid in pan is thin, simmer until thickened to a saucelike consistency; if it is thick, add more water. Serve sauce over pears.

ROASTED PEARS WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter in a baking pan large enough to hold the pears in a single layer: set in the heating oven until it melts.
• Sprinkle sugar over melted butter, then place pears, cut side down, on top. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, turn pears over and baste with pan sauce. Return to oven; bake until golden and glossy, about 10 minutes longer.
• Let cool slightly. Transfer pears to dessert plates or bowls. Top each with dollop of sour cream, drizzle with caramel pan sauce, sprinkle with nuts and serve.

QUICK CHOUCROUTE GARNIE

Steps:

• Cut the sausage into 3-inch lengths, then halve lengthwise.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, cut side down, and cook until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes.
• Turn over sausage; add onions, and sauté until onions are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in butter; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onion until tender. Add pears and brown sugar; cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in vinaigrette and thyme., Return chicken to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-6 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Serve with chicken.

CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Squeeze juice from lemon.
• Measure and reserve 1 tblsp of juice; add remaining juice to cold water in large bowl.
• Pare, quarter and core one pear at a time and place in acidulated water.
• Drain pears; pat dry with paper toweling.
• Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• When foam subsides, add pears; increase heat to high.
• Saute pears until just golden on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Add wine.
• Boil and cook until wine is reduced to thick glaze, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle pears with sugar and reserved lemon juice.
• Cook, stirring gently, over medium heat, until pears are lightly glazed.
• Give a good grind (but not too much) of coarse black pepper.
• Serve warm with a dollop of crème fraiche.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH BALSAMIC CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the water, kosher salt, and sugar. Add pork chops to this brine, and let them soak for no more than one hour. Drain and discard the brine. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels.
• In a shallow dish, stir together the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Place pork chops in the dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 or 2 hours.
• Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by 1/2, about 10 minutes. When the vinegar cools, it should be the consistency of syrup.
• Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high or high heat. Add the onions and pears, and quickly brown being careful to keep the wedges intact. Once the onions and pears are browned, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 7 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the reduced vinegar and salt. The recipe can be prepared up to this point several hours before grilling.
• Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
• Warm pears on a cool section of the grill (in the skillet), while placing the pork chops over the hot part. Cook pork for about 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Remove to a serving plate, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for a few minutes. Uncover, top with the pear onion sauce, and serve.

ROASTED AND CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze a lemon into it. Peel each pear, leaving a small crown of skin around the stem. Carefully core each, keeping pear intact. As the pears are peeled, place in the water.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In large nonreactive ovenproof skillet, combine sugar, vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until mixture is lightly caramelized. Remove from heat.
• While caramel is cooking, remove pears from water, draining them well. When caramel is done, roll pears in caramel, turning them with 2 wooden spoons. Do not touch caramel. Stand pears up in the pan, place pan in oven, and roast pears about 45 minutes, basting them frequently with caramel in the pan, until they are tender and golden brown. Keep the basting spoon in a dish of warm water to prevent it from getting sticky.
• Using wooden spoons, carefully transfer pears to a rack placed over a sheet of foil, and allow them to drain. Return skillet to top of stove, whisk in the cream and bring to a simmer. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Serve pears with warm sauce and vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt on the side.