Fresh Figs And Pears With Rosemary Syrup Food

BALSAMIC-ROSEMARY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears on their sides, combine 5 cups water, vinegar, sugar, rosemary, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
• Arrange pears on their sides in a single layer in poaching liquid. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer pears to a plate. If making in advance, let pears cool; then cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
• Bring poaching liquid to a boil; cook until slightly syrupy, deep brown in color, and reduced to 3/4 cup, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve (discard solids). If storing, transfer syrup to a covered container, and refrigerate up to 3 days. (Store pears and syrup separately.)
• Serve pears chilled or at room temperature: Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear so it can stand upright. Place one on each of four serving plates along with vanilla ice cream, if desired. Drizzle with syrup.

FRESH FIGS AND PEARS WITH ROSEMARY SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, wine, rosemary leaves, bay leaf, peppercorns and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and refrigerate until chilled.
• Mascerate the figs in the chilled syrup for 1 hour before serving.
• To assemble, alternate the fig and pear slices on each of 4 chilled dessert plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the rosemary syrup over the fruit and garnish with the sprigs of fresh mint. Serve with hazelnut biscotti (see recipe below).

PEAR MARTINI WITH LEMON AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• For rosemary syrup:
• Bring sugar and water to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add rosemary sprigs. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Cool mixture completely. Discard rosemary.
• For martini:
• Mix rosemary syrup, vodka, lemon juice, and brandy in large pitcher. Cover pitcher with plastic wrap and place in freezer until mixture is cold, about 3 hours. Remove pitcher from freezer; add ice cubes. Stir briskly to melt ice partially. Strain mixture into chilled Martini glasses. Garnish each glass with rosemary sprig.

CORNMEAL POUND CAKE WITH ROSEMARY SYRUP, POACHED PEARS, AND CANDIED ROSEMARY

Steps:

• For pears:
• Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring syrup to boil, turning pears occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until pears are tender, about 20 minutes. Chill pears uncovered in syrup until cold, at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• For pound cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk flour and cornmeal in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Drizzle in beaten eggs by tablespoonfuls, beating constantly, then beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.
• For syrup and candied rosemary:
• Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rosemary sprigs. Simmer until syrup reduces slightly, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer rosemary sprigs to rack and drain. Cover and reserve rosemary syrup.
• Pour baker's sugar into shallow bowl. Add drained rosemary sprigs to sugar, 1 at a time, turning to coat thickly. Place on paper towels. Dry at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Let sprigs and syrup stand at room temperature.
• Cut dark ends off cake. Cut eight 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick cake slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half. Arrange 2 halves on each plate. Drain pears. Stand 1 pear on each plate. Drizzle each dessert with reserved rosemary syrup and garnish with candied rosemary sprig. Serve, passing remaining syrup separately.

BAKED VANILLA PEARS WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and set one half aside. Scrape seeds from other half into a small saucepan, and add the pod, 1/4 cup sugar, and the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes to infuse vanilla flavor into syrup. Strain and set aside.
• Peel pears, and cut in half lengthwise, leaving stems on. Cut out core, scooping out a little extra flesh. Trim off a little flesh on round side so that halves will lie nicely on a plate.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and stir until melted. Add pears, cut side down, and cook until brown, shaking pan occasionally. Turn over and cook a few minutes more. Transfer to a baking dish, and pour vanilla syrup over pears. Add other half of vanilla bean. Slice figs lengthwise and put 1 or 2 slices in center of each pear. Spoon a little syrup over figs and bake until soft and tender, about 30 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears. Serve hot or warm.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Place Brussels sprouts in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; toss with oil, salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes, stirring halfway. Add pear and walnuts to pan. Roast until Brussels sprouts are lightly charred and tender, 15-20 minutes., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until syrupy, 8-10 minutes., In a large bowl, combine Brussels sprouts mixture, balsamic syrup and rosemary; toss to combine.

FIG JAM WITH ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Place the figs in a 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the figs soften and the liquid begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.
• Add the rosemary and sugar, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the syrup thickens, the figs are mostly broken down and the jam goes from a rapid boil to slow bubbles, about 25 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary.
• Stir in the lemon zest and juice and kosher salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another minute for a runnier jam or up to 8 minutes if you prefer a thicker jam. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice and salt as needed. (Adding lemon juice will thin the jam, but it does thicken as it cools.) The jam should be sweet and tart with a hint of fresh rosemary.
• Transfer to sterilized jars and can, or cool to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.