White Wine Poached Pears
A simple white wine poached pear is a delicious finally to any dinner. Served naked or with a generous pour of salted caramel sauce it is a delightful dessert!
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium pears
- 1 bottle 3 cups dry white wine
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ lemon sliced
- 1 vanilla bean scraped
- 3 star anise pods
- 8 oz. Salted Caramel Sauce
Garnishes:
- Salt Flakes
- Fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
- In a large, tall saucepan, combine the wine, water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon slices, vanilla bean, and star anise. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, peel the pears, slice a thin sliver off the bottom of each pear. Do not remove the stems.
- Place the pears, lying on their sides into the hot liquid and reduce the heat to a low simmer.
- Poach the pears uncovered until they are barely tender but still firm, about 15-20 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, transfer the pears to a bowl of ice water to stop their cooking.
- When the pears are cool, pat them with a paper towel to remove moisture.
- With a small appetizer spoon and a paring knife, cut and remove the core from the bottom of each pear.
- Place the pears in a dish, drape the dish with plastic wrap, and chill until ready to serve.
- Serve either naked or with salted caramel sauce and a sprinkle with flaky salt. Garnish each serving with a sprig of fresh mint.
Notes
- A vegetable peeler works best for peeling the pears. Use it also on the bottom of the pear to level of the bottom which will enable the pear to sit upright.
- After peeling the pear, use a clean scrubby to 'sand' the pear, removing the peeling marks.
- To prevent the pears from discoloring after peeling, add them to a bowl of water with the juice of a lemon or a tablespoon of citric acid.
- Choose a nice dry white wine such as a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio or try champagne or semi-dry dessert wine.
- Options for spices can include cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, cardamom seeds/pods, or allspice.
- The pears have a tendency to float so turning them frequently will ensure they poach evenly.
- Use a silicone spoon or spatula to turn the pears so the fruit is not marred.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 130g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 158mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 118g
