Plum Wine Poached Asian Pear Food

POACHED ASIAN PEAR DESSERT RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove cores from pears and slice them 1/4-inch thick.
• In a medium pot, combine the water, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, ginger, and lemon zest.
• Bring to a brisk simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Add pear slices, stir to submerge in liquid, and simmer for three minutes.
• Remove from heat and leave to cool completely.
• To serve, divide pear slices among four serving bowls and spoon a bit of the poaching syrup overtop. Serve alone, atop yogurt or ice cream, or topped with whipped cream.

PLUM WINE POACHED ASIAN PEAR

Steps:

• Cut the Asian pears in half vertically. Use a small spoon to scoop out the core. Put the 4 halves in a pot large enough to fit the pears in a single layer.
• Cover the pears with the pomegranate juice and plum wine. Add more juice and wine if the pears are not completely covered. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let the pears come to room temperature in the pot. Remove the pears and juice from the pot and put in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat a grill to high.
• When you're ready to serve the pears, dry each half thoroughly using paper towels. Put the sugar on a shallow plate and dip the flat side of each half in the sugar. Put each pear half, flat side down, on a very hot grill and grill until the sugar is brown and bubbly.
• Transfer the pears to serving plates, flat side up. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle of each pear and garnish with mint.

POACHED ASIAN PEARS WITH STAR ANISE AND TROPICAL FRUIT

Steps:

• Bring first 7 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Peel and core pears. Add to syrup. Add enough water to cover pears. Cover pan; simmer until pears are tender, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl. Increase heat; boil liquid until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Strain syrup; pour over pears. Chill until cold. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill.)
• Stand 1 pear in center of each plate. Spoon papaya and mango around pear. Spoon syrup over and serve.

POACHED PEARS IN WINE

Steps:

• Peel the pears, core them from the bottom, leaving the stems on. In a large saucepan, add all of the ingredients except the pears and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the pears, and simmer until the pears are tender, yet slightly firm in the center, about 30 minutes. Remove the pears, peppercorns and vanilla bean, and bring the mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to a syrup.
• To serve
• When the pears are cool, fill the cores with the cheese, place on the serving plate and drizzle with sauce. Top with toasted pecans.
• TIP:
• ASIAN PEAR SALSA
• Substitute Asian pears for pears or apples in your favorite fruit salsa recipe. Use mint instead of cilantro.

ASIAN PEAR COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Put the pear, shochu and lemon juice in a blender and puree until smooth. Pass the pear puree through a very fine mesh sieve (or a regular sieve lined with cheesecloth). Press on the solids to get as much juice out as possible.
• Fill 4 glasses with large ice cubes and put a shiso leaf in each glass. Use a blunt object to pound the ice and shiso to release its flavors. Divide the pear mixture between the 4 glasses and serve.

TEA POACHED ASIAN PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In a large oven-safe saucepan, bring sugar and 3 cups water to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add wine, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, tea leaves, and orange zest; bring to a boil again. Add pears, remove from heat, and cover; transfer to oven.
• Bake pears 1 1/2 hours, turning every half hour until tender but still crisp.
• Remove from oven; let stand until cool enough to handle. Serve warm in cooking liquid.