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Categories:
lemon orange red wine water honey fresh ginger black peppercorns cloves cardamom seeds anise bay leaf Bartlett Mascarpone cheese sugar vanilla pistachios
Viewed: 41 - Published at: 6 years agoIngredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 orange
- 1 bottle red wine (recommended: Shiraz/Syrah or Zinfandel)
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 4 cardamom seeds
- 2 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 Bartlett pears, peeled
- 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
Method
- Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling, recipe follows
- Special equipment: a wide saucepot, parchment paper, a parisienne scoop/small melon baller, a piping bag
- Juice the lemon and orange, reserving the juiced citrus halves.
- Put the juice, citrus halves, wine, water, honey, ginger, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, star anise and bay leaf in a wide saucepot.
- Gently place the pears into the liquid.
- Make a circle of parchment paper that is 1/2-inch larger than the pot and cover surface completely with the parchment paper (see Cook's Note*).
- Make sure the pears are fully submerged but not touching the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the poaching liquid and pears to a boil, then reduce the heat to just below a simmer.
- Cook the pears until fork tender.
- Test for doneness by inserting a sharp knife in the base; there should be little resistance when fully cooked.
- Gently transfer pears to a glass or ceramic bowl.
- Pour enough poaching liquid over pears just to cover.
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight; the longer the pears soak, the darker they will become.
- Strain remaining poaching liquid and return to saucepan.
- Cook over high heat until a syrupy consistency is achieved or the syrup coats the back of a spoon.
- Chill until the pears are served.
- Use a parisienne scoop to remove each pear's core, hollowing out a 1-inch wide cavity that starts at the base and extends 3/4 of the way up the pear.
- Transfer the Creamy Pistachio Nut Filling to a piping bag without a tip.
- Gently fill the pear cavity until it slightly overflows.
- (The overflow will help to provide a sticky surface to stand the pear up on.)
- Place the pear, base side down, in a bowl and surround with 1-ounce of the syrup.
- Serve.
- Cook's Note: *Make sure the poaching liquid is kept below a simmer so that the delicate pears don't fall apart from the agitation of the liquid.
- In a medium-sized bowl, cream the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla together.
- Stir in the pistachio nuts.
- Use immediately or refrigerate and return to room temperature before filling the pears.
