White Wine-Poached Pears
This delightful recipe combines juicy Bartlett pears poached in a fragrant mixture of white wine, sugar, lemon, and spices, resulting in a tender and flavorful dessert. The pears absorb the richness of the ingredients as they simmer gently, creating a sweet and slightly tangy taste that is beautifully complemented by the refreshing garnish of fresh mint. Perfect for a special occasion or a lovely ending to any meal, these poached pears are sure to impress with their elegant presentation and exquisite flavor.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 4 Bartlett pears, peeled, with stems intact
- 1 bottle (750ml) Pinot Grigio or other fruity white wine
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 strips lemon zest, each 2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tbs.)
- 6 peppercorns
- 4 thin slices fresh ginger
- 3 cups water
- 4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- Place the pears in a nonreactive saucepan just wide enough to hold them standing upright. Add the wine, sugar, lemon zest and juice, peppercorns, ginger and water. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, set a heatproof plate or smaller pan lid on top of the pears to keep them submerged and simmer gently until a thin knife inserted into the widest part of a pear easily pierces to the center, about 25 minutes. Remove the plate and let the pears cool to room temperature in the liquid.
- Using a slotted spoon, lift the pears from the liquid. Cut them in half and, using a melon baller, remove the cores. Set the halves in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil over high heat and boil until it is reduced by two-thirds, about 20 minutes. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve held over the pears and let the pears cool once again in the liquid. Serve at room temperature, garnished with the mint sprigs. Serves 4.
- Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, <i>Essentials of Healthful Cooking</i>, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi &amp; Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).
Yield
Serves 4.
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