Roast pear and poached pear in white wine
Sweet poached pears are served with a side of roasted pears with a crunchy topping.
Ingredients
For the poached pears
- 4 blush pears, peeled leaving a little skin around the stalk like a collar
- 1 x 750ml bottle dry white wine
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 1 red chilli
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
For the roast pears
- 2 blush pears, halved and cored
- 16 walnuts, chopped
- 16 almonds, chopped
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp runny honey
- 1 lemon, zest and juice only
- 1 pinch chilli flakes
- olive oil, for drizzling
To serve
- selection of cold meats
- blue cheese
- British soft cheese
Method
For the poached pears, place the pears upright in a saucepan (you may need to trim the bottom of the pears to help them stay upright). Add the white wine, sugar and spices. Simmer until tender, then cover and leave to cool. The pears are best if left in this liquid for a day or two to take on the colour and full taste.
Just before serving, remove some of the cooking liquid and boil until reduced to a sticky syrup to glaze the pear.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the roast pears, place the pear halves in a roasting tin. Mix the walnuts, almonds, shallots, honey, lemon zest and juice together in a bowl. Pile over the cut sides of the pear, sprinkle with the chilli and drizzle over the oil. Bake for 15–20 minutes. If they start to brown on top, but the pears are still hard, cover with kitchen foil and continue to bake for the remaining time.
To serve, slice the poached pears so they fan out on a serving board and place the roasted pears on the side with the cold meats and cheese.
