Poached Fruit Flambe Food

PERFECT POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender.
• Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean before serving if you like.

FLAMBEED VANILLA-POACHED PEARS WITH APRICOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, and vanilla extract to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add 3 or 4 pear halves, reduce heat to medium, and simmer gently until the pears have just turned tender, about 5 minutes. Remove cooked pears to a warm chafing dish or metal serving dish, and continue to cook the remaining pears.
• Increase heat to medium-high, and boil the syrup until it has reduced to 1 cup. Stir in apricot preserves and return to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the simmering syrup. Cook and stir until thickened and clear, about 30 seconds.
• To serve, pour the hot sauce over the pears, and sprinkle with the rum. Carefully ignite the rum tableside with the lights turned low. Let the alcohol burn out before serving.

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

TROPICAL FRUIT FLAMBé

Steps:

• Set a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Pour apple juice into the pan and add brown sugar; let it simmer until golden and bubbling, about 4 minutes.
• Put mango, banana, and strawberry slices in the pan with cinnamon. Stir to cover fruit with the sauce and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove pan from the heat and add rum. Place back on the heat and use a long lighter to set it on fire. Once the flame has gone out, cook for 1 more minute.
• Divide fruit evenly between 3 bowls and top each with 1/2 scoop ice cream.

FRESH FRUITS FLAMBE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a flambe pan.
• Add sugar and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to caramelize.
• Add the orange and pineapple juice and bring to a boil.
• Add the pieces of fruit and stir to blend well with the caramel.
• Pour in the Maraskina, Grand Marnier and Cognac and flame.
• Allow the liquid to thicken slightly, but do not overcook the fruit.

POACHED FRUIT FLAMBE

Steps:

• Place tea in a 3-quart saucepan. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, lemon juice and honey. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Add cherries and prunes. Cut stems off figs and add. Cook at a very slow simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside 30 minutes or longer.
• To serve, divide ice cream among six bowls. Return fruit to a simmer and transfer all the fruit and sauce from the saucepan to a shallow serving dish.
• Pour the Scotch into the saucepan and heat briefly over low heat until warmed. Light a match, grab it with an oven mitt, stand back and ignite the Scotch. Pour flaming Scotch from saucepan over the fruit in the bowl; immediately spoon it over the ice cream.