Poached Fruit From Ian Garten Recipes

POACHED FRUIT FROM IAN GARTEN

Steps:

• Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender. Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla before serving if you like.

MOSCATO POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine the wine, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, cloves, orange zest, and lemon zest in a large (10 to 11-inch diameter) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and peaches to the simmering liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the fruit is tender and the liquid is reduced. (Not to worry if the figs are less tender; you don't want to overcook the rest of the fruit.) Remove and discard the cloves.
• Off the heat, stir in the cherries and allow the fruit to cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Reheat and serve warm or at room temperature with poaching liquid and a dollop of crème fraiche.

POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine wine, sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon peel, and 5 cups water. Place over medium heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Gently place nectarines in the liquid. Add more water if needed to cover nectarines. Place a square of cheesecloth over the fruit, and top with a small plate to keep fruit submerged.
• Increase heat to high, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until nectarines are tender but not soft, about 5 minutes. Remove nectarines from liquid, and allow to cool
• Return liquid to a boil, and cook until reduced to a syrup that will coat the back of spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool.
• Cut nectarines in half, and remove pit. Place two halves on serving plate. Drizzle with syrup. Top each half with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of mint.