Rosemary Poached Pears Recipes

BALSAMIC-ROSEMARY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears on their sides, combine 5 cups water, vinegar, sugar, rosemary, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
• Arrange pears on their sides in a single layer in poaching liquid. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer pears to a plate. If making in advance, let pears cool; then cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
• Bring poaching liquid to a boil; cook until slightly syrupy, deep brown in color, and reduced to 3/4 cup, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve (discard solids). If storing, transfer syrup to a covered container, and refrigerate up to 3 days. (Store pears and syrup separately.)
• Serve pears chilled or at room temperature: Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear so it can stand upright. Place one on each of four serving plates along with vanilla ice cream, if desired. Drizzle with syrup.

MARSALA-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove cores. Measure Marsala cooking wine into a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Melt butter in a large 12-inch skillet. Stir in Marsala mixture. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Place pears in pan, cut side down. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30-45 minutes or until cool enough to serve.
• Place each pear half in a small bowl. Stir remaining sauce in pan; drizzle each serving with 1-2 teaspoons warm sauce. Top with a small scoop of ice cream, and if desired, toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

CORNMEAL POUND CAKE WITH ROSEMARY SYRUP, POACHED PEARS, AND CANDIED ROSEMARY

Steps:

• For pears:
• Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring syrup to boil, turning pears occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until pears are tender, about 20 minutes. Chill pears uncovered in syrup until cold, at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• For pound cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk flour and cornmeal in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Drizzle in beaten eggs by tablespoonfuls, beating constantly, then beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.
• For syrup and candied rosemary:
• Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rosemary sprigs. Simmer until syrup reduces slightly, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer rosemary sprigs to rack and drain. Cover and reserve rosemary syrup.
• Pour baker's sugar into shallow bowl. Add drained rosemary sprigs to sugar, 1 at a time, turning to coat thickly. Place on paper towels. Dry at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Let sprigs and syrup stand at room temperature.
• Cut dark ends off cake. Cut eight 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick cake slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half. Arrange 2 halves on each plate. Drain pears. Stand 1 pear on each plate. Drizzle each dessert with reserved rosemary syrup and garnish with candied rosemary sprig. Serve, passing remaining syrup separately.

ROSEMARY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel the zest from the limes with a vegetable peeler. Place the zest in a medium saucepan and squeeze in the lime juice. Add the rosemary simple syrup, cranberry-apple juice, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean and a pinch of salt. Add the pears and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook at a low heat until the pears are tender but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pears from the liquid with a slotted spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency, 15 to 20 minutes more. Strain and discard the solids.
• You can serve the pears and syrup warm, room temperature or chilled. To serve, place 1 or 2 pear halves into each serving bowl, top with the reduced liquid and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
• Combine the sugar, rosemary and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer the syrup to a squeeze bottle or airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Strain out the rosemary before using. Makes 2 cups.