Poached Pears – Two Different Ways

Serving size depends on the amount of pears you use

(Half to one pear per person is just about right.

Atkinsons’ had 3 pound bags of Washington state organic golden russet Bosc pears for right under $2.00 so I bought several bags of them.  They were really good but I was also preparing for a little catering gig so I had them in mind for the fruit side of breakfast.  I decided to make poached pears which, if not overcooked, can really be good.  These are the recipes I use for the poaching of a pear.

Ingredients:

1. 6 large pears—pared, quartered and cored.
2. 2 sticks of cinnamon
3. 1/2 Tsp. or more if you wish Fennel Seeds
4. 1/2 a lemon sliced rather thickly
5. 1/2 C. to 1 C. sugar
6. 1/8 Tsp. salt
7. 2 Cups Water
8. Optional: 1/4 C. to 1/2 C. Toasted Pumpkin Seeds; Yogurt or Crème Fraiche; Plumped Currants.

Directions:

1. In a wide deep skillet boil 2 cups of water with the sugar, salt, cinnamon and lemon for 3 minutes.
2. Turn the heat down and place your pears in the boiling syrup.
3. Over low heat cook the fruit until just fork tender. Depending on the pear size and quality, that could be anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook because when you take the pears out with a slotted spoon, they’ll still cook a bit.
4. Let cool and serve mixed with the toasted pumpkin seeds which always should be placed on right before serving.  You can also refrigerate the whole mixture and serve the pears later.  They’ll marinate in the syrup and be delicious.
5. Finally, if you wish, you can also add some plumped currants or dark raisins to the whole mixture after the pears have been cooked.  I prefer the sassiness of the currants.

Another slight variation of this recipe is the following:

1. Peel the 6 pears, leave the stems on and gently scoop out the blossom end (I use the rounded end of the peeler but you can use a melon ball scooper as well).
2. In a large sized pot, bring to a boil 1 ½ C. of red wine, 1 ½ C. water and 3/4 C. sugar to a boil.
3. Place in the pot the pears, 1 whole lemon sliced, and 1 cinnamon stick.
4. Simmer covered for 20 to 30 minutes until the pears are nice and tender but certainly not falling apart! Remember, they will keep cooking a bit when you take them out.
5. When pears are tender, with a slotted spoon, put them aside in a bowl.
6. Keep on cooking the sauce without a cover over medium-high heat until the sauce reaches 1/2 of what it originally was and is thick and syrupy.
7. Strain and pour over pears;  or if you wish, pour, the whole mixture with the lemon slices and cinnamon stick over the pears; refrigerate overnight.  Once again add plumped raisins or currents if you wish.
8. Serve the next day with a bit of syrup over each pear.

Manchego Cheese wedges or crème fraiche  go very nicely with either one of these delectable desert dishes.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help or hosting

 @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.