With pears at their peak in autumn, now is the time to indulge in this sweet, healthy treat.
Start by not worrying much about perfectly ripe pears. Because pears that ripen on the tree develop a gritty texture, they are harvested and shipped while still quite hard.
This means you can select perfect, unblemished fruits and allow them to ripen in your kitchen.
For sweet pears with a smooth texture, ripen them in a bowl for two to four days at room temperature. A humid environment is best, so cover the bowl with a damp cloth if needed.
If you put a banana in with the pears, the natural ethylene gas it produces will make the fruits ripen faster. But be careful, a pear can go from rock hard to overripe very quickly.
Pears are ripe when slightly soft, at which point they should be refrigerated. They ripen from the center outward, so if the pear is too soft to the touch, it’s probably mushy in the middle.
Pears go well with nuts and cheeses for appetizers, and can add a sweet element to green salads. A great source of potassium and fiber, pears also work well in savory dishes, particularly with pork and chicken.
In desserts, pears appear in tarts, upside-down cakes and sorbets. There also is the often overlooked option of poached pears, one of the simplest and most elegant ways to prepare this fruit.
The technique is easy. A simple syrup is made by combining roughly four parts water with one part sugar plus any variety of flavorings, such as whole spices and citrus peels.
This syrup is brought to a simmer and the pears are added and cooked until just tender and infused with the flavors of the syrup. The cooking liquid is reserved and served with the poached fruit.
Substituting red wine for the water in the poaching liquid will add a more sophisticated flavor as well as a beautiful burgundy color to the cooked pears. Whatever the liquid, be sure there is enough to entirely cover the pears during poaching.
Firm pears that are just slightly underripe are best for poaching because they hold their shape well. Bosc pears, which keep their shape even when quite ripe, are best, though Anjou and Bartlett work well too.
Poaching also is an excellent way to prepare stone fruits such as plums, peaches and nectarines. Use slightly hard, peeled fruit for the best results.
Dried fruits such as apricots, figs and prunes also are delicious this way.
This recipe for spiced poached pears uses whole cinnamon and black peppercorns for a subtle yet exotic flavor. If you like, the pears can be prepared up to four days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
1orange
11/4cups sugar
2tablespoons lemon juice
2bay leaves
1cinnamon stick
1teaspoon black peppercorns
2whole cloves
4cups water
6ripe but firm pears, peeled, halved and cored
Using a vegetable peeler, remove four 3-inch strips of zest from the orange. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl.
In a large saucepan, combine the zest and orange juice with the sugar, lemon juice, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
Add the pears and simmer over low heat until just tender when pierced with a knife, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how ripe the pears are.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a serving bowl. Set aside.
Bring the remaining liquid and spices in the saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat and boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Pour the syrup through a strainer over the pears. Discard the spices.
Let the pears and syrup cool to room temperature and serve.
Makes six servings. Nutrition information per serving: 225 calories; 1 g fat (0 g saturated); 0 mg cholesterol; 67 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 4 g fiber; 0 mg sodium.
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