Three Color Poached Pears Recipes

AUTUMN POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Melt butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Arrange pear slices on a microwave-safe baking dish. Pour butter mixture over pears, cover, and microwave until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries, pepitas, and walnuts.n

POACHED PEARS WITH ORANGE CREAM

Steps:

• Core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel pears; cut 1/4 in. from bottom to level if necessary. Place pears on their sides in a large saucepan. Add water, wine, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, turning once, until pears are almost tender, 35-40 minutes. (For more intense flavor and color, leave fruit in cooking liquid and refrigerate overnight.), Meanwhile, combine sour cream, confectioners' sugar, orange zest and extract. Refrigerate until serving., Remove pears with a slotted spoon; pat dry and, if warm, cool to room temperature. Discard cooking liquid. Place pears on dessert plates. Serve with orange cream; if desired, top with additional grated orange zest.

ORANGE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• With an apple corer or sharp knife, carefully remove core from bottom of pears to within 1 in. of stem, leaving pears whole with stem. Peel the pears., In a Dutch oven, combine the orange juice, water, brown sugar, butter and orange zest. Bring to a boil; add pears. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pears are tender, turning several times. Remove pears and set aside. Simmer cooking juices, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thickened to a syrup consistency., For chocolate sauce, in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, heat the chocolate, cream and butter until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Spoon pear syrup into dessert dishes; place a pear in each dish and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Garnish with orange zest strips if desired.

POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Crack the star anise, cloves, and peppercorns in a mortar and e pestle or on the counter with the bottom of a small, heavy skillet.
• Put the honey in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the honey caramelizes slightly. Stir in the cracked spices. Pour in the water-carefully, because this will sputter-and stir until the mixture is smooth and the honey is completely dissolved. Add the salt, lemon and orange zests, and ginger and bring to a simmer.
• Peel the pears and lower them into the poaching liquid. Cut a round of parchment the size of the pan and lay it over the pears. Top with a lid or plate that is smaller than the pan so the pears remain submerged and completely covered by the poaching liquid. Simmer very gently, keeping the temperature between 181° and 185°F, until the pears are tender, about 2 hours.
• Let cool and store in the refrigerator in the poaching liquid. Serve cold.

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.