Poached Pears In Phyllo Overcoat With Madeira Zabaglione 21 Club Food

POACHED PEARS IN PHYLLO OVERCOAT WITH MADEIRA ZABAGLIONE `21' CLUB

Steps:

• In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears upright in one layer simmer water, wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and chili 10 minutes to blend flavors. Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and cut a thin slice from bottom of each so pears will stand upright. Add pears to poaching liquid and simmer until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pears to a plate and cool completely. Core pears from bottom, leaving stem ends intact, and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• On a work surface brush a phyllo sheet with some melted butter and top with 2 more layers phyllo and butter in same manner. Put a pear in center of phyllo and gather phyllo up around top of pear, allowing excess to fold back and leaving stem exposed. Trim excess phyllo to about 3 inches if necessary and brush outside of phyllo with more butter. Make more wrapped pears with remaining pears, phyllo, and butter in same manner. On a baking sheet bake pears 20 minutes, or until phyllo is golden, and cool slightly. Pears in phyllo may be made 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
• In a metal bowl whisk together sugar, yolks, and Madeira until combined. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat mixture, whisking, until frothy, pale golden, and each whisk stroke leaves a clean path. (An instant-read thermometer should register 140°F. for 3 minutes to ensure eggs are safely cooked.)
• Divide zabaglione and pears among 4 dessert plates and garnish with dried fruit.

POACHED PEARS WITH MARSALA, CINNAMON, AND VANILLA

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups dry Marsala, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, split vanilla beans, and orange peel strips in heavy large pot. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peeled Bosc pears. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer until pears are tender, turning pears occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to platter. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Pour syrup over poached pears. Chill until cold, turning pears occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Divide poached pears among 6 shallow bowls. Strain syrup; discard solids. Drizzle syrup over pears. Top each with dollop of mascarpone, if desired, and serve.
• Italian cream cheese, sold at Italian markets and many supermarkets.

TUACA ZABAGLIONE WITH SAUTEED VANILLA PEARS

Steps:

• For pears:
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pears; sauté 1 minute. Add both sugars and wine and stir until sugar dissolves. Scrape out seeds from vanilla bean and add to skillet; add bean. Boil until pears are tender and juices in skillet form thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool. Discard vanilla bean. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• For zabaglione:
• Whisk yolks, sugar, Tuaca, and 2 tablespoons cream in large metal bowl to blend well. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Using electric mixer, beat yolk mixture constantly until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 7 minutes total. Remove bowl from over water; place bowl in larger bowl of ice water. Whisk occasionally until mixture is cool, about 3 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream and cinnamon in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold 1/3 of whipped cream into yolk mixture, then fold in remaining cream in 2 additions. Chill until cold. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Divide pears among 6 dessert glasses. Spoon zabaglione over each. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

PEACHES WITH ZABAGLIONE

Steps:

• Make the zabaglione: In a double boiler or a bowl set over rapidly simmering water, whisk egg yolks and sugar together. Add Marsala and white wine and whisk well until mixture is warm and beginning to thicken, about 2 minutes.
• Continue to whisk vigorously as mixture increases in volume, until it is the consistency of lightly whipped cream, 2 minutes more. Take care that the eggs do not overcook and become curdled.
• Pour zabaglione into 4 to 6 wide-mouthed wineglasses or coupes and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Peel peaches and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
• To serve, top each glass with sliced peaches, dividing them evenly. If desired, garnish with raspberries and drizzle with about a tablespoon of raspberry purée.