A few of my favorite things.
Categories: Pears & wine.
Simple desserts are my favorite, and poached pears in red wine ranks very high on that list.
A few tips:
You don’t need to pop open your most expensive bottle of vintage wine – white or red – but do use a wine that you’d like to drink along with the fruit.
Use firm, ripe pears.
Poaching is a gentle way to cook the fruit and infuse flavors; it’s not like boiling them.
Ensure pears are immersed in the liquid during the cooking process to avoid discoloration.
Bosc are best. Bartlett can work too but can turn to mush very quickly, so be careful.
Play with the flavorings and spices. Fresh ginger, vanilla beans, orange and lemon rinds, cardamon pods, star anise. Just don’t overdo it but pick 3 or 4 of your favorite things.
Pears are done with pierced a knife and show no signs of resistance!
3 cups red or white
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 pears
Optional flavorings to choose from:
Rind of one orange
Rind of one lemon
1 vanilla bean split open
2-3 Star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp cardamon pods
1″ piece of fresh ginger sliced
Method:
1.Peel and core the pears.
2.In a large saucepan bring the wine, water and sugar to a boil.
3.Reduce the heat and add the pears and any flavorings you wish at this stage.
4.Simmer the pears until cooked all the way through – check with the tip of a pointy knife – and if they offer no resistance, you’re good to go. (This can take 20-30 minutes depending on the pear type and their ripeness.)
5.Remove from the heat but make sure to allow the pears to cool in the liquid.
6.Refrigerate the pears in a sealed container, in their liquid, in the fridge. They can be stored for up to 6 days.
7. Pears are great combined with chocolate desserts, almond creams and of course red wine, which is my favorite. Serve with gingerbread cakes, chocolate cakes, chocolate sauces, caramel sauces, vanilla ice cream, sweet mascarpone. So many choices for such an easy and versatile dessert.
Photos by Jasalyn Thorne Photography.
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