Pears In Spiced Raisin Sauce Food

SPICED PEAR AND RAISIN PIE

Steps:

• Position rack in lowest third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Boil nectar in heavy medium saucepan until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Pour into large bowl; mix in raisins. Cool completely. Mix in sugar and next 5 ingredients, then pears.
• Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Brush inside and top edge of crust with some of glaze. Spoon filling into crust. Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Arrange dough over filling. Seal top crust to bottom crust at edge of dish. Trim double overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold under; crimp edge. Using small knife, cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush crust and edge with glaze. If desired, roll out any dough scraps and cut out small pear-shaped decorations. Press decorations onto edge of crust.
• Bake pie until pears are tender, covering crust with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Place on rack; cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

EDNA LEWIS'S SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, toast the cloves, shaking the pan, until they're very aromatic. Add the sugar, vinegar and salt, and bring up to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel the pears, and halve them lengthwise, if needed, to fit the pan. (You can pick out the seeds if you like.) Carefully place the pears in the syrup, and simmer gently.
• Stir the pears every few minutes, to make sure they cook evenly, especially if the hot syrup doesn't completely submerge them. Cook them until they are just tender at their thickest parts; check with a toothpick after 15 minutes of cooking. When the pears are ready, remove the pan from the heat and place a clean plate on top of the pears to keep them submerged in the vinegar syrup. Allow to cool for six hours or overnight.
• Serve right away, store in the refrigerator or can. If you store them in the fridge, you can separate the pears and syrup and use them independently. If you plan on canning, Lewis instructs you to strain the syrup and boil it for 5 minutes. Pack the pears in jars, cover with the hot syrup and process according to your jar manufacturer's directions.

SPICED PEAR AND RAISIN CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Place pomegranate juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla and orange extracts in medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in pears, apricots and raisins. Simmer 5 minutes longer or until raisins are plump and liquid is slightly thickened. Spoon into serving bowl. Cover.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

POACHED RUM RAISIN PEARS

Steps:

• Combine 1/3 cup rum with remaining ingredients in a 10-inch heavy skillet and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pears are just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and boil mixture, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a syrup, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon rum and serve warm or at room temperature.

SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• Drain pears, reserving syrup; set the pears aside. In a small saucepan, combine the syrup, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pears and simmer for about 5 minutes more or until heated through.

SAUCY SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, combine the first nine ingredients and, if desired, cayenne. Cook over medium-high heat until butter is melted, 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally., Add pears; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thickened and pears are crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. If desired, top with mint.

POACHED PEARS IN SPICED RED WINE

Steps:

• Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and put in a large saucepan with the wine, sugar, cinnamon and thyme. Cut each piece of pod into three long thin strips, add to pan, then lower in the pears.
• Poach the pears, covered, for 20-30 mins, making sure they are covered in the wine. The cooking time will very much depend on the ripeness of your pears - they should be tender all the way through when pierced with a cocktail stick. You can make these up to 2 days ahead and chill.
• Take the pears from the pan, then boil the liquid to reduce it by half so that it's syrupy. Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a strip of vanilla, a piece of cinnamon and a small thyme sprig.