Poached Pears With Risotto Recipes

EASY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, cinnamon stick, allspice, ground pepper, apple cider, and water.
• Add pears. Cover with waxed paper to prevent discoloring. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning pears occasionally, until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove pears from liquid; transfer to large bowl.
• Raise heat to high; boil cider mixture until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon. Pour syrup over pears; refrigerate. To serve, slice off a sliver from the bottom of each pear (so it stands upright). Serve pears with lemon sorbet, if desired.

POACHED PEARS WITH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the rice. Cook the rice until it turns translucent, and begins to toast, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/3 of the hot milk until it has been absorbed by the rice, about 5 minutes. Pour in half of the remaining milk, and stir until absorbed before stirring in the remaining milk. Stirring in the milk should take 15 to 25 minutes total, and the rice should be mostly soft with just a little firmness in the center. Add the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir 5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring the water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and cinnamon stick to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pears, return to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium, and continue simmering uncovered until the pears are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Spoon the risotto into serving bowls and place pears on top.

RED WINE POACHED PEARS WITH VANILLA BEAN CUSTARD

Steps:

• For the pears: Remove a large strip of peel from the lemon and set aside. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into a medium bowl filled with water. Peel, halve and core the pears, adding the pears to the lemon water as you work (this will prevent them from browning).
• Combine the wine, sugar, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon stick and reserved lemon peel in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove the pears from the lemon water and add to the wine mixture. Boil the pears until tender, 8 to 10 minutes on each side. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid to a wire rack to cool. If desired, continue to boil the poaching liquid until syrupy, about 10 minutes.
• For the vanilla bean custard sauce: Combine the cream and milk in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the cream mixture along with the scraped bean. Place over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges, then remove from the heat and remove the vanilla bean.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Gradually add a little of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Gradually add the remaining cream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 6 minutes. Remove the custard from the saucepan and cool slightly.
• To serve, spoon some of the custard sauce onto serving plates and top each with a pear half. Dollop with whipped cream and sprinkle with candied pecans, if desired.

SPICED PEAR RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, red pepper and garlic in butter until tender, about 3 minutes. , Add the rice, five-spice powder and cayenne; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add cider. Cook and stir until all the liquid is absorbed. , Add warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender. (Cooking time is about 25 minutes.) , Add the pear, 1/4 cup cheese and pepper; cook and stir until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. If desired, top with chopped chives.

POACHED PEARS WITH RIESLING

Steps:

• Core pears from the bottom, using a small melon baller to scoop out the seeds. Cut a round of parchment to fit inside a large pot (it should be wide enough to hold the pears in one layer). Place pears in pot along with wine, brown sugar, and enough water to just cover pears (2 to 3 cups). Scrape vanilla bean seeds into pot, then drop in pod. Cover with parchment round.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer, turning pears occasionally to coat with liquid, until very tender but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on ripeness and size of pears. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pears to a large bowl. Remove and discard vanilla bean pod. Cover bowl with parchment round (or cut a new one to fit).
• Bring poaching liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to consistency of thin syrup, about 10 minutes. Pour syrup over pears and refrigerate, covered with parchment, until cool. Serve pears in shallow bowls or cups; tuck a chocolate-mint leaf into stem end of each one, if desired.

POACHED PEARS WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a heavy 2-qt. saucepan, combine 1/3 cup sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in milk and cream until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat., Gradually add a small amount of hot mixture to egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly (do not boil). Stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl; place a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap on top of sauce. Cover and refrigerate. , In a large bowl, combine 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Carefully peel pears, leaving stems attached. Immediately plunge pears into lemon water. In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, and the remaining sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Add cinnamon stick, cloves and pears. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until pears are tender., Carefully remove pears to a plate. Discard cinnamon stick and cloves. Drizzle syrup over pears. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. To serve, place pears on dessert plates; drizzle with chilled vanilla sauce.