Pears Poached In Spiced Wine Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Peel the pears, core them from the bottom, leaving the stems on. In a large saucepan, add all of the ingredients except the pears and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the pears, and simmer until the pears are tender, yet slightly firm in the center, about 30 minutes. Remove the pears, peppercorns and vanilla bean, and bring the mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to a syrup.
• To serve
• When the pears are cool, fill the cores with the cheese, place on the serving plate and drizzle with sauce. Top with toasted pecans.
• TIP:
• ASIAN PEAR SALSA
• Substitute Asian pears for pears or apples in your favorite fruit salsa recipe. Use mint instead of cilantro.

Steps:

• Combine wine, water, sugar, cinnamon, peppercorns, honey, and vanilla bean in a large saucepan. Squeeze in lemon juice, using a strainer to catch seeds, and toss in one of the halves. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel pears carefully, leaving stems intact. Place in hot poaching liquid and cover with a lid slightly smaller than the pot to keep pears submerged.
• Turn heat down to a bare simmer and poach pears for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender (if the pears are not ripe, it could take up to an hour). Turn pears halfway through cooking time. Let cool slightly, then transfer pears to a bowl. Simmer poaching liquid until reduced by half
• Cut figs in half and add to liquid cut side down. Keep heat at a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (If using dried figs, poach until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.)
• Carefully transfer figs cut side down to the bowl with the pears, and pour poaching liquid over all. Let cool and chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• With a slotted spoon, remove fruit from liquid and place 1 pear and 2 fig halves on each plate. Reduce poaching liquid over medium heat until thick enough to coat a spoon. Serve hot or cold with the fruit. Accompany with a few cookies, whipped cream, or a sweet dessert cheese.

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.

Steps:

• Put the sugar, honey, jelly and tea bags into a big saucepan with 600ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the pear halves, then cover and simmer for 12-15 mins until the pears are just tender - poke them with a skewer or the tip of a knife.
• Lift out the pears, then turn up the heat, throw in the cranberries and boil for a few mins until syrupy. Discard the tea bags. Serve the pears with the warm syrup poured over and a spoonful of crème fraîche or yogurt.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients but pears in a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Add pears, lower heat, and cook 20 to 30 minutes, until pears are tender. If necessary, turn pears very gently by rotating stems with your fingertips so they cook evenly. Remove pears to a bowl, bring poaching liquid to a rapid boil, and reduce by half, about 10 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pears and refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Serve.

Steps:

• Place the pears and the wine in a nonreactive medium-size saucepan. Be sure the wine completely covers the pears. Stud 4 of the lemon slices with the cloves and add them with all the other ingredients (except the mint) to the pears. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until the pears are soft but not mushy, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer the pears to a serving bowl. Reduce the poaching liquid over high heat by one-third to concentrate the flavors. This may take up to 15 minutes. Pour over the pears-cinammon sticks and all-and let cool.
• Let the pears sit for a few hours, or, ever better, overnight, so they can fully absorb the flavors in the wine. They will turn a beautiful vermillion color.