Poached Pears in Wine

A beautiful simple dessert absolutely perfect for a dinner party incorporating the flavors of fall. Use any red or rose you like or that bottle of wine that's been collecting dust in the back of your cupboard (you know the one) - it will work great in this classic dish! A gorgeous oven-free dessert. In the summer, we will use beautiful stone fruit instead of the pears. 

Cooking the wine and herbs down slowly will create a beautiful rich flavorful syrup.

Poached Pears in Red Wine

Serves 4
4 pears, peeled and left whole
1/4 cup sugar
1 bottle of wine - red or rose' - whichever you prefer or have in your cupboard
herbs you like: we use sprig of rosemary, sprig of thyme and lemon zest or you can use cinnamon, clove and nutmeg

Place pears in a pot that fits snugly. Add sugar and herbs to the pot with pears. Cover the pears 3/4 with wine.

Place the pot on the stove with the lid on and bring up to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Let simmer for 10-18 minutes depending on the size of your pears. You'll know when they are done when a knife slips easily in (just like when boiling potatoes).

Once cooked through remove the pears from the liquid & place in the fridge. Return the pot to the stove and reduce the wine, on a simmer for about 10-15 minutes until it forms a syrup. Be careful not to burn it by reducing too much.

About a minute or two before before the wine syrup is ready give it a taste checking to make sure its not too tart. You may need a little more sugar depending on the sweetness of the wine.

To serve, strain a ladle full of the syrup through a fine mesh strainer directly onto each plate. Top with your pear - either serve whole or sliced in half. Finish with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or mascarpone cream.

Pear & Pine Nut Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Rosy cheeked, angelica pears, native to the Metauro Valley are found in the markets throughout autumn in our area of Le Marche. One of my favorite ways to use these sweet small pears is tossing them with pine nuts, parmesan and a sweet honey lemon vinaigrette - creating an irresistible salad!

Pear & Pine Nut Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Recipe

Insalata di pera e pinoli

Ingredients:

1 small head of soft leafed lettuce, cut, washed & dry
2  small pears, cubed
100 gr pine nuts, toasted
juice of half a lemon
honey
extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan

Method:

In a bowl, juice the lemon with a spoonful of good honey. As you stir drizzle in olive oil approximately twice the olive oil than lemon juice.

Give it a taste - if its too olive oily- give it a squeeze of lemon, like wise in the reverse order. Set aside.  Toss lettuce with half the pears and pine nuts and the dressing add a crack of pepper and sprinkle of salt. Once in serving bowl, top with the rest of the pine nuts and pears and shaved parmesan.

Poached Pears

A beautiful simple dessert absolutely perfect for a dinner party. Use that bottle of wine that's been collecting dust in the back of your cupboard (you know the one) - it will work great in this classic dish!

Poached Pears

4 pears (peeled, halved & cored)
1 bottle of wine (which ever kind you like)
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
aromatics - vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, thyme, orange, juniper, etc. - use what you like & be creative!
fresh whip cream or ice cream

Place wine, aromatics, 1/2 cup of sugar & pears into a pot. Bring up to a simmer for 10-20 minutes depending on size of the pears.

When a fork slips into pears easily remove from heat & allow to cool in liquid.
Once tepid - place the pears in to the fridge, leaving the juices in the pan.

Continue cooking the liquid until reduced by half and forms a syrup. Taste the syrup - if its tart add a bit more sugar.

Allow the syrup to cool once desired consistency is achieved. Strain out aromatics.

Server syrup drizzled over pears with a scoop of gelato or whip cream!