Poached Pears With Ginger And Port Food

POACHED PEARS WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients except pears to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel pears and cut in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out core and seeds from each half, leaving stems intact. Trim fibrous strip from center with a paring knife. Gently lower pears into pot. If not completely covered by liquid, lay a piece of parchment paper directly on pears.
• Cook until a paring knife slides easily into pears, meeting slight resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool in liquid 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pears to a large bowl; cover with parchment paper. Cook liquid over medium heat until syrupy, about 15 minutes; discard vanilla pod and ginger. Let cool. Serve two pear halves in each bowl; spoon syrup over pears.

POACHED PEARS WITH GINGER AND PORT

Steps:

• Peel gingerroot and slice thin. Cut slices into thin strips and in a saucepan simmer in 1 quart water 10 minutes. Drain gingerroot and discard water.
• In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears lying on their sides bring 3 cups water to boil with gingerroot, sugar, Port, and lemon juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and cut a thin slice from bottom of each if necessary to enable pears to stand upright when served. Arrange pears on their sides in poaching liquid, adding enough of remaining water as necessary to just cover. Simmer pears, turning them occasionally, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness. Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 3/4 cup and slightly syrupy. Pour sauce over pears. Pears may be made 1 day ahead and cooled in sauce before being chilled, covered. Serve pears warm or chilled.

POACHED RED PEARS IN PORT WINE

Steps:

• Peel and core the pears. Place them in a saucepot with anise and Port wine. Bring to a boil and cook until the alcohol is burned off - be careful as the mixture may ignite. Once alcohol is burned off, drop heat to a simmer and add in the pears, making sure they are fully submerged. Pears should simmer for at least 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pears once they are tender. Return the port to a simmer and cook until reduced by 3/4 and syrupy.
• In a small saucepan, place ginger root and 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar. Cook until sugar caramelizes. Remove from the heat and place on a parchment lined sheet pan to cool.
• Melt chocolate over a double-boiler.
• Whip cream to stiff peaks. Sweeten with powdered sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside to chill.
• Use the reduced wine as a sauce or garnish. Once pears are done and tender, place on plate. Fill with chocolate and top with whipped cream. Garnish with candied ginger and drizzle with reduced wine. Serve warm.

GINGER POACHED PEAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring ginger ale and white wine to 160 degrees F in medium saucepan. Add pear and poach for 15 to 20 minutes until the pear is fork tender.
• Cut philo in half and brush with butter, sprinkle with sugar, and bake until golden brown.
• Place ice cream on each piece of philo dough, then a pear half and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

PEARS IN PORT WITH MERINGUE CREAM

Steps:

• Pour the port into a large pan with 600ml water, add the sugar and cinnamon, then heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20-30 mins until tender all the way through. They are ready when a cocktail stick can be easily pushed through each one. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the pears in 2 batches using the same port syrup, or turn the pears several times as they cook so they become an even colour. Let the pears cool in their syrup, preferably overnight to allow the syrup to really stain them. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
• Check the consistency of the syrup. If it is very thin, boil it in a pan to reduce the amount and concentrate the flavour.
• To serve, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it holds its shape, then fold in the meringue. Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Arrange the pears in a shallow dish and spoon over the syrup. Allow guests to help themselves to both pears and cream.

POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine the port and sugar in a saucepan with 2 cups water; heat until the sugar dissolves. Add vanilla beans.
• Peel and core pears. Pour on port mixture and simmer 15 to 40 minutes, until tender.
• Let pears cool in the liquid.
• Reduce the liquid to less than a cup. Serve individually with the liquid spooned over.

POACHED PEARS IN GINGER-LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• With a vegetable peeler, pare yellow part only of peel from lemon.
• Cut peel into julienne strips to make 1 table- spoon.
• Ream enough lemon to make 1 tablespoon juice. In a 5 to 6 quart pan, combine lemon peel, lemon juice, ginger, sugar and 3 cups water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add pears and more water, if needed, to cover them.
• Simmer, covered, until pears are tender when pierced, about 30 minutes.
• Put pears in 6 shallow-rimmed dishes or shallow bowls.
• On high heat, boil syrup, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 40 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pears.
• Cool, cover and chill until cold or up to 2 days.

POACHED PEARS WITH GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE GINGERBREAD CAKE: Heat oven to 350°F Butter an 8 3/4 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-4 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• In a large bowl, sift together ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix on low speed just until the flour has been incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with a spatula.
• Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a knife between the cake and the pan, and invert onto a serving platter.
• Using a paring knife, make a trough in the center of the cake: Insert knife halfway into the cake, and cut a rectangle, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around. Insert a serrated knife through one long side of the cake, intersecting the cut made by the paring knife through the top. Cut bottom of the the trough, being careful not to cut through the shorter sides or all the way through the cake. Lift out trough, and reserve for snacking. Cover cake with plastic until ready to assemble.
• TO MAKE POACHED PEARS: Peel pears, and place in a medium saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and just enough to cover pears.
• Set saucean over high heat, and bring ot a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring gently, over medium-low heat until a paring knife easily pierces pears, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let pears cool in liquid.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a plate. Pour poaching liquid through a sieve set over a bowl. Discard solids, and return liquid to saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, and cook until liquid has been reduced to a syrup that coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 45 minutes. Let cool; store pears in red-wine syrup in an airtight container until ready to assemble dessert.
• TO MAKE THE CINNAMON CREAM: Place heavy cream, sugar, and cinnamon in a chilled medium bowl. Using a whisk, whip cream until soft peaks form. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
• TO ASSEMBLE DESSERT: Slice poached pears in half, and remove the cores with a melon baller. unwrap cake, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Stand halved pears in the trough of the cake. Drizzle 2 tablespoons red-wine syrp over the tops. Serve cake with additional syrup and dollop each portion with cinnamon whipped cream.

GINGER-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel pears; cut in half vertically. Cut 1/4 in. from bottoms to level if necessary. Place in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Place ginger ale and honey in a small saucepan. Cook and stir until combined; spoon over pears. Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until tender, basting occasionally., With a slotted spoon, remove pears to individual serving dishes. Transfer pan juices to a small saucepan; stir in ginger. Cook and stir over medium heat 5-8 minutes or until heated through. Spoon over pears; sprinkle with pecans.

POACHED PEARS WITH GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8 3/4-by-4 1/4-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pan, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• In a large bowl, sift together ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix on low speed just until the flour has been incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a knife between the cake and the pan, and invert onto a serving platter.
• Using a paring knife, make a trough in the center of the cake: Insert knife halfway into the cake, and cut a rectangle, leaving a 3/4-inch border all around. Insert a serrated knife through one long side of the cake, intersecting the cut made by the paring knife through the top. Cut bottom of the trough, being careful not to cut through the shorter sides or all the way through the cake. Lift out trough, and reserve for snacking. Cover cake with plastic until ready to assemble.
• Peel pears, and place in a medium saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and just enough water to cover pears.
• Set saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring gently, over medium-low heat until a paring knife easily pierces pears, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let pears cool in liquid.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a plate. Pour poaching liquid through a sieve set over a bowl. Discard solids, and return liquid to saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, and cook until liquid has been reduced to a syrup that coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 45 minutes. Let cool; store pears in red-wine syrup in an airtight container until ready to assemble dessert.
• Place heavy cream, sugar, and cinnamon in a chilled medium bowl. Using a whisk, whip cream until soft peaks form. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Slice poached pears in half, and remove the cores with a melon baller. Unwrap cake, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Stand halved pears in the trough of the cake. Drizzle 2 tablespoons red-wine syrup over the tops. Serve cake with additional syrup, and dollop each portion with cinnamon whipped cream.

PEARS POACHED IN PORT WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Tie allspice and peppercorns in a cheesecloth bag with kitchen string. Put bag in a large saucepan with remaining ingredients except pears and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and arrange on sides in poaching liquid. Simmer, uncovered, gently turning from time to time, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness.
• Discard cheesecloth bag and carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Discard ginger, cinnamon stick, and zest. Serve pears warm or at room temperature with syrup.

GINGER-SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• Put the sugar, vinegar, orange zest and juice, ginger, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pan. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar, then boil for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, peel, core and halve or quarter the pears, depending on size. Add the pears to the pan and poach gently for 10-15 mins until they are just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and pack into warm sterilised Kilner jars with rubber seals (see tip below).
• Boil the vinegar mixture hard to reduce by a third, then pour over the pears, including the spices. The pears need to be completely covered with the liquid. Fit the rubber seal and clamp the jar tightly closed. Reserve any leftover syrup for topping up the jars later, as the pears will absorb the syrup over time. Store for up to 2 months.