Wine Poached Pear Croustades With Ice Cream Food

RED WINE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients (except pears) in a saucepan. Make sure the saucepan is large enough for the pears to fit snugly in there, with just enough wiggle room for the pears to submerge in the poaching liquid at an angle as well.
• Bring the red wine to a simmer while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• When the wine comes to a simmer, strain the red wine liquid (IF YOU USED FRESH FRUITS), to remove the seeds or fruit pulp. Discard the seeds and pulp, but NOT the cloves, orange peel and cinnamon. Add the cinnamon, cloves and peel back into the liquid and return the liquid back to the saucepan. You can skip this step if you didn't use fresh fruits with seeds and pulp.
• Peel the pears ONLY when the poaching liquid is ready (pears will discolor if you peel them too early).
• Lower the peeled pears into the poaching liquid.
• Let the pears poach in the liquid on medium-low heat (simmering) for 20 - 25 minutes, but rotate the pears every 5 minutes to ensure they poach evenly on all sides, including the tops of the pears.
• When the pears have been poached, keep them upright in the poaching liquid, and remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the pears to cool down in the poaching liquid.
• I prefer to serve poached pears chilled, but they can be served at room temperature as well.
• Before serving, remove the pears from the poaching liquid and leave them on a plate, covered with plastic wrap.
• Heat the remaining liquid in the saucepan, and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until the liquid thickens slightly into a syrup. The cooking time depends on how much liquid is left, so keep an eye on it. If the syrup is too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
• Serve the pears on a serving plate, and brush them a little with the syrup to make the pears look shiny (optional).
• Pour a little syrup over individual pears, and serve with some whipped mascarpone cheese or whipped cream.

RED WINE POACHED PEAR FILLED WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND TOPPED WITH GRANOLA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, add the wine, sugar, cloves, pears, cinnamon, vanilla and orange zest and bring to a simmer. Cut out a circle of parchment paper and fit this on top of the liquid to keep the pears submerged. Simmer the pears until fork-tender, flipping them once, about 40 minutes. Remove the pears from the wine with a slotted spoon and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Continue to reduce the wine mixture on high heat until it becomes syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain.
• Top each pear half with some ice cream, granola and a drizzle of the wine reduction. Finish your art with mint and devour it.

WINE-POACHED PEAR CROUSTADES WITH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Stir wine, sugar, peppercorns, orange peel and bay leaf in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; cover and boil 5 minutes. Add pears. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until pears are tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Chill until cold, about 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• Remove pears from liquid. Strain liquid into heavy small saucepan. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and orange juice in small bowl to blend. Add to saucepan and whisk until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove sauce from heat and cool slightly.
• Cut pound cake slices diagonally in half. Thinly slice pears lengthwise. Arrange 2 pound cake triangles and 1 sliced pear half on each of 6 plates. Top each with ice cream; drizzle with sauce.

PEARS POACHED IN RED WINE, CARDAMOM AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer. Add pears and return mixture to simmer. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Transfer pears to plate. Boil liquid in saucepan until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill pears in poaching liquid. Before serving, rewarm over medium-low heat until pears are heated through.)
• Arrange 1 warm pear and 1 scoop of ice cream on each of 4 plates. Drizzle some poaching liquid over. Sprinkle with biscotti crumbs. Garnish with orange peel strips, if desired, and serve.