epicurean.com
Recipes Articles Book Reviews Shopping Forum Contact

Poached Pears with Orange Sauce

By Sara Perry from Chronicle Books' From Our House to Yours


Poached Pears with Orange Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
Zest of 2 oranges, finely minced or grated
Zest of 1 Lemon, finely minced or grated
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 firm pears such as Comice or Bosc
1 cup fresh orange juice
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
6 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger

Serves 6

This and many other wonderful
recipes may be found in
From Our House to Yours
from Chronicle Books



Tucked upright in a simple container these flavorful pears presented by Sara Perry in Christmastime Treats are perfect far anyone who is looking for a low-fat, light dessert. The pears can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

1. In a saucepan large enough to hold the upright pears without crowding, combine the apple cider, water, sugar, orange and lemon zests, and lemon juice. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Peel the pears, leaving the stems attached. If necessary, cut a thin sliver off the bottoms so they will stand upright. Place the pears upright in the pan. With a bulb baster or a spoon, drizzle each pear with the syrup. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, basting frequently with the syrup, until the pears can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a shallow serving platter.

3. Pour the poaching syrup through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a pitcher. Reserve the zest to use as a garnish. Measure 1 cup syrup and pour it into a small saucepan. (Reserve and chill the remaining syrup for use in other recipes.) Add the orange juice to the saucepan and stir to mix. Place over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil, and boil until reduced to a thick syrup, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the warm sauce over each pear.

4. To serve, arrange the pears on individual plates. Place a spoonful of mascarpone next to each pear and spoon the remaining sauce over each pear. Garnish each pear with some of the reserved zest. Garnish each spoonful of mascarpone with 1 tablespoon of the minced ginger and a few flecks of the remaining zest.

The pears can he poached up to 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. The pears will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 day.


Copyright © 2007 Epicurean.com & Chronicle Books
All rights reserved
Google
 
Web epicurean.com