Spiced Pear Risotto Food

SPICED PEAR RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, red pepper and garlic in butter until tender, about 3 minutes. , Add the rice, five-spice powder and cayenne; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add cider. Cook and stir until all the liquid is absorbed. , Add warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender. (Cooking time is about 25 minutes.) , Add the pear, 1/4 cup cheese and pepper; cook and stir until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. If desired, top with chopped chives.

SPICED MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Turn to low and keep hot.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. When it begins to foam, add the onions and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the dried curry leaves, garam masala, cardamom pods, mustard seeds and star anise, and continue to cook for 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stirring so it is well coated with the butter, and then add the wine, stirring constantly as it is absorbed into the rice.
• Begin to add the hot stock a little at a time and continue to stir constantly as it is absorbed into the rice. The rice is done when it is tender and creamy in consistency, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and season with salt.
• Spoon the risotto into wide, shallow bowls and garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings and a scattering of dried chilies.

POACHED PEARS WITH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the rice. Cook the rice until it turns translucent, and begins to toast, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/3 of the hot milk until it has been absorbed by the rice, about 5 minutes. Pour in half of the remaining milk, and stir until absorbed before stirring in the remaining milk. Stirring in the milk should take 15 to 25 minutes total, and the rice should be mostly soft with just a little firmness in the center. Add the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir 5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring the water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and cinnamon stick to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pears, return to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium, and continue simmering uncovered until the pears are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Spoon the risotto into serving bowls and place pears on top.

SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• Immediately place peeled and quartered pears in cold water with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
• In a 3-gallon stockpot, blend vinegar, sugar, water and spices.
• Drain pears, add to pot and bring to a rolling boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer and cook until pears are tender and can be pierced with a fork.
• Cool then refrigerate overnight to give the flavors time to meld. Drain brine then serve.

SPICED BAKED PEARS

Steps:

• Core the pears and set inside a baking dish. An old fashioned peeler with the pointy tip works well for this.
• Combine the craisins, walnuts and orange peel. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients over medium-low heat for 2-5 minutes or until combined and bubbly.
• Take a pinch of your craisin mix and stuff into bottom of each pear. Stir in the rest of the craisin mix into your bubbly sauce.
• Ladle the hot sauce into each pear.
• Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven till the pears are soft. (Usually 30-40 minutes) Check on the pears halfway through. If they look like they are going to burn, cover with foil till the last 5 minutes.
• Let stand at least 5 minutes. Put each pear on a plate then ladle some of the escaped sauce over the pear and drizzle around the plate for presentation.
• Tip: If you don't have any orange peel handy, substitute orange juice for the water.
• Tip: The sauce will escape through the bottom. Don't sweat it. Just ladle it back in after baking. The nut/craisin mix in the bottom helps with this.
• Tip: I know the baking time is a little ambiguous, be we move around a lot and I've made this in several different ovens. It's hard to "kill" these. Just test the pears with a fork. When the tops get that pretty caramel color and they're soft, they're ready.
• Tip: This works with any pear, just adjust the baking time depending on the firmness of the pear. Firmer=longer. I like Bartlett pears because they're fat and stand up on their own better.