Red Wine Poached Pears
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Calories
- 203 calorie
- Total Fat
- 0 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 0 grams
- Cholesterol
- 0 milligrams
- Sodium
- 10 milligrams
- Carbohydrates
- 42 grams
- Dietary Fiber
- 6 grams
- Protein
- 1 grams
- Sugar
- 30 grams
- Total: 13 hr 40 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Inactive: 12 hr
- Cook: 1 hr
Ingredients
1 lemon
1 orange
1 bottle red wine (recommended: Shiraz/Syrah or Zinfandel)
8 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cloves
4 cardamom seeds
2 star anise
1 bay leaf
6 Bartlett pears, peeled
Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling, recipe follows
Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling:
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
Directions
Special equipment:
A wide saucepot, parchment paper, a parisienne scoop/small melon baller, a piping bag- Juice the lemon and orange, reserving the juiced citrus halves. Put the juice, citrus halves, wine, water, honey, ginger, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, star anise and bay leaf in a wide saucepot. Gently place the pears into the liquid. Make a circle of parchment paper that is 1/2-inch larger than the pot and cover surface completely with the parchment paper (see Cook's Note*). Make sure the pears are fully submerged but not touching the bottom of the pot. Bring the poaching liquid and pears to a boil, then reduce the heat to just below a simmer.
- Cook the pears until fork tender. Test for doneness by inserting a sharp knife in the base; there should be little resistance when fully cooked. Gently transfer pears to a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour enough poaching liquid over pears just to cover. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight; the longer the pears soak, the darker they will become.
- Strain remaining poaching liquid and return to saucepan. Cook over high heat until a syrupy consistency is achieved or the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Chill until the pears are served.
- Use a parisienne scoop to remove each pear's core, hollowing out a 1-inch wide cavity that starts at the base and extends 3/4 of the way up the pear. Transfer the Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling to a piping bag without a tip. Gently fill the pear cavity until it slightly overflows. (The overflow will help to provide a sticky surface to stand the pear up on.) Place the pear, base side down, in a bowl and surround with 1-ounce of the syrup. Serve.
Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling:
- In a medium-sized bowl, cream the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla together. Stir in the pistachio nuts.
- Use immediately or refrigerate and return to room temperature before filling the pears.
Cook’s Note
Make sure the poaching liquid is kept below a simmer so that the delicate pears don't fall apart from the agitation of the liquid.