Catalan Caramelized Pears
Instructions:
- Peel the pears.
- Cut off the stems and bottoms.
- Use an apple corer to remove the cores.
- Cut the pears in half lengthwise.
- Put the sugar into a wide pan, then place the pan over low-to-medium heat. You will see darker patches of caramel starting to appear.
- Stir to make an even, dark caramel.
- Add the butter to the caramel, then stir until melted and even.
- Carefully and the pears to the pan, cut side down.
- Pour in the hot water. The caramel will bubble dramatically, so be careful not to burn yourself.
- Cook the pears for 5 minutes, turning after 21⁄2 minutes.
- The pears will be soft and the caramel sauce silky. Remove from the heat and let cool at room temperature.
- Serve the pears and caramel sauce with ice cream or sorbet. Decorate with a few mint leaves.