Pears Poached In Tequila With Prickly Pear Raspberry Sauce Food

POACHED PEARS WITH CREAMY PECAN SAUCE

Steps:

• To poach the pears: In a large pot, combine the water and sugar over medium-high heat. Using a vegetable peeler, cut wide strips of lemon zest from the lemon and add to the pot along with the juice of the whole lemon. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Submerge pears in the simmering liquid, adding more water, if necessary, to just cover the pears. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a circle just large enough to cover the pot. Ease the paper down into the pot until it is touching the surface of the liquid. Simmer the pears until a knife inserted directly into a pear meets little resistance, about 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and cool the pears completely in the poaching liquid.
• To make the sauce: In a saucepan, over high heat, combine the brown sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the sauce is reduced, thicker and takes on a dark golden brown color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully stir in cream, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the toasted pecans and salt.
• Serve 1 to 2 pear halves per person, drizzled with the creamy pecan caramel sauce.

PEARS POACHED IN TEQUILA WITH PRICKLY PEAR-RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make pears:
• Using melon baller, remove core from bottom end of pears. Bring tequila and sugar to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 7 pears. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook until tip of small knife pierces pears easily, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer pears to large bowl. Repeat with remaining pears and poaching liquid. Return all pears to liquid; cool. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Make sauce:
• Purée berries, jelly and liqueur in processor. Strain into medium bowl. Cover; chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.) Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce onto each plate. Stand 1 pear in center of each.

CAMPARI-POACHED PEARS WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups cranberry-raspberry juice drink, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/2 cup Campari and orange peel strips in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and reduce heat to very low, keeping poaching liquid hot.
• Peel pears, leaving stems attached. Rub pears all over with cut lemon halves. Using melon baller, remove cores through wide end of pears, then cut thin slice off wide ends so that pears can stand upright. Add pears to poaching liquid. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until pears are tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears in poaching liquid. Refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours.
• Puree raspberries with their syrup, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur and currant jelly in blender. Strain raspberry sauce through fine sieve. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. (Pears and raspberry sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and keep refrigerated.)
• Whisk mascarpone, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons orange liqueur in bowl to blend.
• Spoon some raspberry sauce onto plates. Stand pears upright in center of sauce. Spoon dollops of mascarpone mixture alongside. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

STUFFED POACHED PEARS WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine ricotta, blue cheese, pecans and lemon juice, fill center of pears with mixture and sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Heat wine to a boil in a medium skillet, add pears stuffing side up, cover and reduce heat to medium low, simmer 10 minutes or until tender.
• Sauce: Mash raspberries and strain juice into a measuring cup adding enough water to measure 3/4 cups.
• Whisk cornstarch into juice in a small sauce pan, heat and stir 5 minutes or until juice thickens and begins to bubble.
• To serve, place 3 tbls sauce on a plate and top with a pear half.

POACHED PEARS IN SPICED TEA

Steps:

• Put the sugar, honey, jelly and tea bags into a big saucepan with 600ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the pear halves, then cover and simmer for 12-15 mins until the pears are just tender - poke them with a skewer or the tip of a knife.
• Lift out the pears, then turn up the heat, throw in the cranberries and boil for a few mins until syrupy. Discard the tea bags. Serve the pears with the warm syrup poured over and a spoonful of crème fraîche or yogurt.

POACHED PEARS WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar and wine to a boil. Reduce heat; carefully add pears. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Remove pears and reserve cooking liquid., In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and vanilla. Stir in enough cooking liquid to form a sauce consistency. Cover and refrigerate sauce and pears separately until chilled. , Remove sauce from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Place two pear halves on each dessert plate; top with sauce. Garnish with raspberries and mint if desired.