Poached Pears In Spiced Red Wine Food

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.

SPICED RED WINE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Halve the lemon, and remove 3 wide strips of rind. Peel the pears, leaving a topknot of skin and the stem, if it's attached; rub with the cut lemon. Working from the bottom, core the pears.
• Choose a pot that will hold the pears snugly. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit inside the pot. Cut 4 slices from the lemon and put them, the strips of zest and all the other ingredients - except the pears - into the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and add the pears, tops up - it's O.K. if they're not fully submerged. Cover with the paper circle and the pot's lid.
• Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes - the pears should still be slightly firm but easily pierced with the tip of a knife; transfer them to a bowl. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, pour over the fruit and discard the spices. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature or chilled, with or without cream.

SPICED POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine the water, red wine, lemon juice, sugar and spices in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
• Place the pears in an ovenproof dish and pour the syrup over them.
• Poach at 150°C (300°F) for 20 - 25 minutes or until tender.
• Pour a small amount of the syrup in the bottom of dessert dishes and place the pears on top.
• Serve with whipped cream.

SPICED RED WINE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, combine wine, sugar, orange juice, zest, cinnamon stick and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. While liquid is simmering, peel pears, leaving stem intact and being careful not to blemish the flesh of the pears. Slice 1/2-inch off the bottom of the pears to create a flat bottom. Gently place pears in poaching liquid, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to ensure even color, until pears are cooked but still firm. Remove saucepan from flame, uncover and cool with pears upright in pan. Once cool, cover and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally, if desired. Gently remove pears from liquid and allow to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, reduce liquid by about half over a medium-high flame for 15 minutes, until liquid is thicker and slightly syrupy. Remove from flame and let liquid come to room temperature. Drizzle each pear with 2 tablespoons syrup and serve.

BOSC PEARS POACHED IN RED WINE CARAMEL

Steps:

• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and cut a thin slice from bottom of each if necessary to enable pears to stand upright when served. Set aside.
• Put sugar in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and melt over moderate heat until it begins to caramelize. Continue to cook, keeping a close eye and the sugar constantly circulating. Cook until the sugar is a deep golden caramel. Stir in the butter carefully, as the mixture may bubble up. Simmer and stir until caramel sauce has developed, about 5 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean.
• Carefully arrange pears in the poaching liquid. They should be completely covered by the liquid, add water if they are not. Simmer pears, turning them occasionally, until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Test by inserting a knife into the fattest part of the pear, it should come out with no resistance. Finish off with lemon juice to wake up the flavor. Gently remove the pears to a serving dish, cut side down. Pour the wine syrup over the pears. Serve with Gorgonzola and candied walnuts.

PEARS POACHED IN SPICED WINE

Steps:

• Heat wine, sugar, water, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, vanilla bean and lemon zest to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
• Meanwhile, remove the pear cores with a melon baller.
• Add pears to saucepan; reduce heat to a simmer. Poach the pears until tender enough for a knife to pierce them without resistance, at least 20 minutes, longer if the pears are less ripe.
• Let pears cool in the poaching liquid, about 15 minutes.
• Place the pears on a serving platter.
• Strain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large saucepan; discard the solids. Heat the liquid to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook until reduced to a thick syrup, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Serve the pears drizzled with the warm syrup.

PEARS POACHED IN SPICED RED WINE WITH BOW-TIE PASTRIES

Steps:

• For pears:
• Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add pears, reduce heat, cover and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 20 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup anisette. Cool pears completely in syrup. Cover; chill in syrup overnight.
• Transfer pears to medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate pears. Boil poaching liquid in heavy large saucepan until reduced to 1 cup, about 35 minutes. Mix in remaining 1 tablespoon anisette. Cover and refrigerate liquid until cold, about 4 hours.
• For pastries:
• Mix flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, aniseed and lemon peel in large bowl. Add milk, butter and vanilla and stir until dough forms. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/16 inch. Cut dough into 3 1/2 x 3/4-inch strips. Trim ends diagonally. Twist strips at center to create bow ties. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Place bow ties on cookie sheet. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
• Line cookie sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 inches oil in heavy medium saucepan to 375°F. Add 4 bow-tie-pastries and cook until deep golden brown, turning occasionally, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper towels using slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining pastries in batches. Place sugar in large bowl. Add warm pastries and toss to coat.
• Arrange pears on plates. Place scoop of ice cream on one side of each plate. Drizzle poaching liquid over pears. Garnish with cookies and serve.