Ode to Pears
Pear orchards in southern Oregon, Courtesy of Harry & David
The Greek poet, Homer, described the pear as “The gift of the gods.” I couldn’t agree more.
During my growing up years, my parents had a sheet metal shop in Brooklyn, close to the docks and the Battery Tunnel that connected our borough to Manhattan. Every year, as the December holidays approached, gifts began arriving from suppliers. The best of all the gifts was a box of Comice pears from an orchard way on the other side of the country. Although the docks provided us with a year-round supply of luscious fruits from all over the world, those holiday boxes of pears were bigger, better, and juicier than any other pear, bar none.
For nearly thirty years, I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest, home to over 900 Washington and Oregon pears growers. Our region’s abundant water, volcanic soil, cool nights and warm days create perfect conditions for a variety of pear species: Anjou, Bartlett, Seckel, Bosc, and best of all, Comice – the ultra-sweet, juicy pear I first tasted in those holiday boxes.
For Thanksgiving dessert, I always serve pears poached in wine. One to two weeks before the holiday, I buy Bosc pears with long stems. They are usually rock-hard, so I store them in a drawer with bananas, to help them ripen a bit. When they start emitting an aroma, but before they go soft, I poach them.
Lately, I’ve been caramelizing Comice pears. But if you don’t want to fuss, just eat a ripe Comice pear. Soon, you’ll be quoting Homer.
Comice Pears, Photo by Mindy Stern
Mindy’s Caramelized Pears
Ingredients:
Two Comice Pears
2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cardamom seeds
Directions:
Place butter, sugar and cardamom in a heavy skillet. Heat to melt the butter, and swirl the other ingredients to blend in. Don’t burn the butter!
Wash but don’t peel the pears
Cut each pear in half, then in half again to easily cut out any seeds.
Cut the quarters into wedges of equal size, yielding about eight wedges per pear.
Arrange wedges tightly in the pan and cook on low heat.
After fifteen minutes, use silicon tools to flip them, ensuring they’re browning evenly on all sides. Keep cooking, most likely for a total of forty-five minutes.
Taste the butter and add more sugar if it’s not sweet enough to the taste.
Serve warm to accompany chicken or fish (trout, branzino) or add a bit more sugar and serve for dessert with vanilla ice cream.
Caramelized Pears. Photo by Mindy Stern
Recipe: Pears Poached in Wine
Ingredients:
Bosc Pears with long stems (Anjou pears are OK, if you can find ones with long stems)
Lemon
2 cups of inexpensive, dark Red Wine (I use a $7 bottle of Cabernet, Merlot, or a blend)
1 cup sugar
1 Vanilla bean, split in half to release the seeds
Directions:
Pour the wine into a pot just large enough to hold the pears standing upright. Add sugar and vanilla bean and cook on medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. When it starts bubbling, reduce heat so it doesn’t boil. Let it thicken a bit while you prepare the pears.
Pour the lemon juice into a bowl of cold water.
Cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each pear, just enough so it can stand straight and be easily grabbed by the stem.
Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact. Place them in the acidulated water until all are ready (this keeps them from turning brown).
Move all the pears into the hot wine and begin poaching. Periodically, use a baster to coat them on all sides with the wine mixture. It’s OK if they refuse to stand up and topple over. Use a wooden spoon and/or silicon spatula - or grab by the stem - to periodically rotate them so all sides get the same coloration. Try not to nick them.
Cooking time is thirty to forty-five minutes but will vary, depending on the size of the pears. When a toothpick (inserted into a discreet part of the pear) doesn’t resist, they’re done.
Remove the pears and consider letting the syrup cook more to thicken. I prefer a thinner liquid and use the left-over syrup to create cocktails and mocktails.
Store the pears for up to a week in the fridge until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving. The syrup, refrigerated, can last a month or more.
Pears can be served whole, in a small bowl, surrounded by syrup. I prefer to cut each pear in half. Put the cut half face down on a plate. Use a sharp knife to make three or four slices, starting ¼ inch below the stem and moving towards the bottom, creating a fan-like shape. Pour syrup all over and serve with whipped cream and chopped pistachio nuts.
Any left-over syrup can be used in cocktails or mocktails (The longer you simmer the wine syrup, the more alcohol burns off).
Poached Bosc Pears. Photo by Mindy Stern
Mindy’s Pear Cocktail
Ingredients:
2 oz Pear Syrup
1 oz Poire Williams Brandy (Oregon produces a nice version)
½ oz Lemon Juice
Ice cubes
Lemon or Lime Sparkling Water
Optional garnish: Sweetened, dried, Orange Slices (available at Trader Joe’s)
Mix first three ingredients and adjust with more lemon juice if needed to cut down sweetness.
Pour into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and give a vigorous shake to chill thoroughly.
Cut a slit on the orange slice so it sits on the rim of a glass.
Pour chilled drink into the serving glass.
Top with a little sparking water and mix gently to create a bubbly drink.
To make this non-alcoholic, omit the brandy and use more sparkling water.
Pear Brandy. Photo by Mindy Stern