Pear And Rosemary Butter Food

ROSEMARY PEAR BUTTER

Steps:

• Peel & chop pears, placing in water so they don't dry out.
• Drain well and place in a large, heavy Dutch oven. Add cider so that it just covers fruit. Place cinnamon stick pieces beneath surface of cider. Simmer 30 minutes until tender.
• Preheat oven 300°F Remove cinnamon & set aside.
• Puree pears with liquid in blender or food processor until as smooth.
• Transfer pureed pears to large, heavy baking dish.
• Mix in honey, rosemary, & cinnamon.
• Bake 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, till sauce is thickened, bubbling, and dark brown around edges.
• Add single drop of lemon juice (any more would be overpowering).
• Cool completely.
• For Canning: Reheat until simmering & ladle into hot sterilized jars. Process according to standard canning methods.
• For Freezing: Divide cooled mixture into plastic containers & refrigerate or freeze.

PEAR AND GORGONZOLA RAVIOLI WITH WALNUTS AND ROSEMARY BUTTER

Steps:

• Filling -- In a medium non stick sauce pan on medium heat add the pears, dried and fresh, shallots and cook until the pears start to break down. The pears should give enough moisture so no oil or butter is needed. Cook until they are soft but not "mush." You still want a little texture to it. Remove and let cool.
• Add the cooled pear mix to the gorgonzola, ricotta and pepper and mix well. I like to chill this before I use this as a filling.
• Make the ravioli -- take a wonton wrapper and wet the edges just using water and your finger and then add a teaspoon of the filling to the wonton and press corner to corner to make a triangle. Press well to make sure the edges are sealed and get all the air out around the center around the filling. Once done, move to a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper until you finish making the rest of the raviolis.
• In a large pot of boiling water it is time to cook the ravioli. I like to cook this on a medium boil. NOT on high. To high of heat will just cause the raviolis to bread up. Add the raviolis 6 or 7 at a time, don't over crowd the pot and boil 1-2 minutes until they float to the surface. Once they float -- they are done. Remove and set on a cookie sheet until cooled.
• Now you can pan saute and serve them now or you store them in a ziplock for a day or so until ready.
• Saute -- In a medium non stick pan add 1 teaspoon of the butter and heat to medium. Add the ravioli and lightly pan sear. You just want to lightly brown and slightly crisp up, just a minute or so per side is all they need, and to heat up. Remove the ravioli to a serving bowl and cover.
• Sauce -- Add the wine to the pan and then the remaining butter, rosemary and walnuts, a little salt and pepper to taste. Cook another minute and pour over the ravioli.
• Enjoy them! They are a treat.

PEAR AND ROSEMARY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans .
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
• Chop the pears and process them to a smooth puree with the lemon juice in a food processor or a blender. You should have about two cups of pear puree. Chop the rosemary leaves and mix with the pears.
• Beat the butter and three-fourths cup sugar together until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. The mixture may look slightly curdled. Stir in the pear puree alternately with the flour mixture, mixing only until all the flour is blended in.
• Spread the batter in the two pans, place in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Dip each sprig of rosemary in water, then in the remaining tablespoon of sugar and place a sprig on top of each loaf. Continue baking another 35 to 40 minutes, until the bread is nicely browned. Allow the loaves to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans to finish cooling on racks. Wrap cooled loaves in plastic and allow to rest overnight.

PEAR ROSEMARY BUTTER

Steps:

• Make your own pear juice using a juicer, or purchase unsweetened pear juice at a health food store or grocery.
• Cook pears in pear juice until soft, 25-35 minutes.
• Remove from pot with slotted spoon, press through food mill or sieve to make 2 quarts pulp.
• Reserve juice for your next batch of pear butter.
• Put pear pulp in large, heavy-bottomed pan.
• Add vanilla and simmer until thick, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
• Test for doneness by placing a teaspoonful of the pulp on a saucer and chilling for a few minutes.
• If there is no water ring around the pulp, the butter is done.
• This may take several hours, so be patient, and don’t forget to stir!
• Remove from heat, add rosemary and balsamic vinegar, stir gently.
• Let steep for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare jars and lids for canning.
• Remove rosemary from pear butter, return to stove and heat butter until simmering.
• Pour hot into hot jars leaving ¼” headspace.
• Screw on lids and let cool on rack.
• Process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.
• Yield: 5 eight ounce jars.