Instant Pot Poached Pears With Port Wine Food

INSTANT POT® POACHED PEARS WITH PORT WINE

Steps:

• Combine water, port, orange juice, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Select Saute function and set timer for 3 minutes, until liquid begins to slightly simmer.
• Place pears inside the pot. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 8 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove lid. Transfer pears to a plate to cool, leaving juices in the pot.
• Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove lid. Discard cinnamon sticks from the sauce. Place poached pears in bowls and drizzle with port sauce.

POACHED RED PEARS IN PORT WINE

Steps:

• Peel and core the pears. Place them in a saucepot with anise and Port wine. Bring to a boil and cook until the alcohol is burned off - be careful as the mixture may ignite. Once alcohol is burned off, drop heat to a simmer and add in the pears, making sure they are fully submerged. Pears should simmer for at least 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pears once they are tender. Return the port to a simmer and cook until reduced by 3/4 and syrupy.
• In a small saucepan, place ginger root and 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar. Cook until sugar caramelizes. Remove from the heat and place on a parchment lined sheet pan to cool.
• Melt chocolate over a double-boiler.
• Whip cream to stiff peaks. Sweeten with powdered sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside to chill.
• Use the reduced wine as a sauce or garnish. Once pears are done and tender, place on plate. Fill with chocolate and top with whipped cream. Garnish with candied ginger and drizzle with reduced wine. Serve warm.

SPICED WINE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel the pears and put in a medium bowl with the lemon juice and enough water to cover to prevent browning.
• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the water, sugar, anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick.
• Stir the sugar mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the wine, port, ginger, and about 2/3 of the orange zest (the remainder will be used for garnish). Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
• Add the pears. Place the lid on the pot so that steam can escape and simmer until the pears are tender when pierced with a toothpick. This will take about 25 minutes. Make sure that you turn the pears so that all sides are evenly cooked.
• Remove the pears from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon. Transfer them to a plate, cover with plastic wrap, cool in the refrigerator about 2 hours.
• Pour the cooking liquid through a sieve to remove the cloves, zest, and other particulate. Return to sauce pan. At this point you can refrigerate the liquid if you plan on serving it within a day or 2.
• To reduce the sauce, simmer until desired consistency is achieved (about 30 minutes to my taste). Taste as you are cooking it to adjust sweetness to your taste (I don't like things that sweet, so the sauce is tart when made according to the recipe).
• Serve each pear with a little sauce drizzled over and sprinkle with remaining zest. Mint & dark chocolate also make good garnishes.

PEARS IN PORT WINE

Steps:

• Peel the pears, but leave them whole. With the stem end intact, cut off a thin slice at the bottom so that the pears can stand upright.
• In a nonreactive saucepan, bring the port, sugar, and 2 cups water to a boil.
• Place the whole pears in the liquid, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 35 minutes, turning the pears occasionally, until they are tender.
• Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
• Increase the heat under the saucepan and reduce the liquid by half by boiling vigorously for 20 minutes to a medium-thick syrup. Add the Cointreau and vanilla.
• Place the pears upright in a serving dish and spoon the reduced syrup over them. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

WINE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel pears, leaving stem intact.
• Using a small melon baller, remove stems and seeds from bottoms of pears.
• In a saucepan that will accommodate pears upright, combine wine, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add pears, cook over medium heat, maintaining a boil for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, allow pears to cool slowly.
• Baste pears occasionally with poaching liquid.
• When completely cooled, chill pears.
• Serve on individual dessert plates; spoon liquid over pears.

PEARS POACHED IN PORT AND CRANBERRY JUICE WITH PORT SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring twice. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes. Add pear halves to liquid. Simmer pears uncovered until tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to large bowl. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to thin syrup (about 1 1/4 cups), about 15 minutes. Pour syrup over pears in bowl. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Mix yogurt and powdered sugar in small bowl. Spoon cold syrup onto plates. Place 1 pear half, flat side down, on each plate. Spoon yogurt mixture over pears. Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.

WINE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel 4 Bosc pears, leaving stem intact. In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears on their sides, bring to a boil 4 cups water, 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1 dried bay leaf, and peel of 1 lemon.
• Add pears, and cover with a round piece of wax paper. Reduce heat to low; simmer gently until pears are crisp-tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool in poaching liquid, then chill pears at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.