Recipe: Poached Pears with Ginger

Recipe

Poached Pears with Ginger

Serves 6

Cold poached pears make a light dessert any time of the year. I add star anise and some fresh gingerroot to the poaching liquid along with the usual cinnamon stick and lemon for a Chinese flavor. A good company dessert, the pears can be prepared a few days ahead.

Leftover cooked pears can be served with Berry Sauce, plain or with a scoop of ice cream.

1 cup sugar
3 cups water
1 cup white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
2 2-inch pieces of lemon zest
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
1 2-inch piece gingerroot, sliced
2 star anise
6 firm pears, preferably Anjou or Comice

Place sugar, water, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, gingerroot and star anise in a saucepan just large enough to hold all of the pears in a single layer.
Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, and cook for about 5 minutes to allow the spices to flavor the liquid.
Core the pears. You can either leave them whole or cut them into halves. Carefully place the pears in the boiling liquid, adding more water, if necessary, to cover them.
Return the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the pears gently until they are just tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the pears.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the liquid and set aside. Increase the heat to high and boil to reduce the liquid to about 2 cups. Strain the sauce, discarding the solids.
If serving hot, place the pears in individual serving dishes and spoon some sauce over each.
If serving cold, place the pears in a bowl, pour the sauce over them and refrigerate, covered. The pears will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

from:
Susanna Foo Chinese Cuisine
The Fabulous Flavors and Innovative Recipes of
North America's Finest Chinese Cook
by Susanna Foo
Photography by Louis B. Wallach
Chapters Publishing
October 15, 1995
$35.00/hardcover
30 full-color photographs throughout
ISBN: 1-881527-94-8
Reprinted by permission.