Poached Pears with Vanilla
Instructions:
Pears can be poached at any stage of ripeness, with sugar
added to the cooking water making up for any lack of
fully developed natural sugars. So even with an unripe
pear, this becomes an impressive, light dessert.
Other fruits you can use: apples, apricots, peaches,
nectarines, kumquats, or pineapple.
21/2 cups sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or one 3-inch
cinnamon stick
4 pears
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: about 20 minutes, plus time to cool
- Combine the sugar and vanilla or cinnamon with 5 cups water in a medium saucepan (large enough to accommodate the pears) over high heat. Peel the pears, leaving their stems on. Core them by digging into the blossom end with a melon baller, spoon, or paring knife.
- Lower the pears into the boiling water and adjust the heat so that it simmers gently. Cook, turning the pears every 5 minutes or so, until they meet little resistance when prodded with a thin-bladed knife, usually from 10 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the liquid.
- Transfer the pears to serving plates. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate the pears for up to a day; bring to room temperature before serving.) Reduce the poaching liquid to a cup or less (this can also be stored for a day), then spoon a little over each pear before serving.
- Poached Pears with Asian Spices.
- Add 3 star anise, 5 slices fresh ginger, and 2 cloves to the poaching mix. Pears Poached in Red Wine. Substitute 11/2 cups water, 11/2 cups red wine, 3/4 cup sugar, one 3-inch cinnamon stick, and 1 lemon, sliced, for the poaching liquid.