La Petit Chef: Poached pears in a red wine & cinnamon infused syrup..

http://thenovicegardener.wordpress.com/Today I am going to tell you a little story...a love story at that...not like Love in the Time of Cholera of course, which without a doubt is one of my top ten anytime reads..but it is a story of love,longing and companionship nevertheless..Whats yours?? Do share!!

Its about a certain Mr.P and his darling Mrs.P..
No No.. this isn't about Me and my P..although that is a story I must recount some other time...It needs its time and its own space...But for now, lets just suffice to say it was nothing short of the drama of the movie ,Two States! Yup...Ours was every bit as filmy!! More on that later. Promise.

But for now lets delve into the story of Mr. & Mrs. P...
There were once 2 pears... a rather boisterous,cocky Mr.P and a gentle,blushing Mrs.P..
They used to hang out very cozily on a tree...But one day, swooped down a great big bird...and pecked at their lil branch..and down they went spiraling together,till they landed in the plump food loving palms of your darling S!! ;)

Yay!! I saved the day...and them!
And then promptly decided to make them into something utterly and totally delicious!
It was the first time I was doing this...and I can't believe I hadn't done it earlier..How..I mean how could I have been so so so dumb and late to the party!?

If you are as bored as me of eating fruits, then you will love this classic spin on a simple stone fruit!
It makes the pear soft and infused with heavenly fragrance that comes from the poaching...
"Poaching" simply means to take something that isn't ours..to steal...
Here Pears Poach in the true sense... They steal away all the flavors and fragrance of the syrup and infuse themselves with it..making them totally ridiculously tasty!
And man , have I become a fan of Poaching, not stealing mind you!! :P

Here, I poach it in some deliciously fragrant earthy sweet cinnamons..spicy ginger..sweet honey and red wine! The infused syrup is simply phenomenal...

Its a rather simple dessert..served warm with a side of cold ice cream,it becomes a perfect sweet dish.
Try this when you are in the food to jazz up some regular pears and turn them into something rather special...like Cinderella before and after the ball... Now thats a story for yet another time!!

Love,
A very happy , S
{Original Mrs.P :)}

Ingredients:

Poached Pears in Red Wine,Honey, Ginger and Cinnamon Syrup: 1 bottle red wine. 2 cups simple syrup, recipe follows 2 cinnamon sticks 2 tablespoons honey 1 (¾-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled, and finely chopped 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 6 small, firm, ripe Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled and cored
Simple Syrup 1 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups water

Instructions:

Start off by peeling the pears.. Keep the stems on. Now using a corer, core the pears. If you don't have an apple corer,you can core with a small paring knife..Just cut out the bottom in a small hole..gently put the knife into the pear and twist to remove the core. Next, prepare the simple sugar syrup. Boil water and sugar till dissolved. Now for the Infused syrup... In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the wine, simple syrup, cinnamon sticks, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted. Add the pears and simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender. Might take more time..Check before removing. If a knife goes through the pear without much resistance,its done. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool. Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon sticks and the vanilla bean and discard. Place each pear on a small serving plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the Honey, Ginger and Cinnamon syrup..and chocolate syrup if so desired... Serve immediately.
Simple Syrup In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Recipe followed : By the gorgeous and amazingly talented, a personal fave of mine...the goddess Giada De Laurentiis. http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com/recipes/155/poached-pears-in-honey-ginger-and-cinnamon-syrup

Start off by peeling the pears.. Keep the stems on.

Now using a corer, core the pears. If you don't have an apple corer,you can core with a small paring knife..Just cut out the bottom in a small hole..gently put the knife into the pear and twist to remove the core.

Next, prepare the simple sugar syrup. Boil water and sugar till dissolved.

Now for the Infused syrup...

In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the wine, simple syrup, cinnamon sticks, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean to the saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted.

Add the pears and simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender. Might take more time..Check before removing. If a knife goes through the pear without much resistance,its done.

Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool.

Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and the vanilla bean and discard.

Place each pear on a small serving plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the Honey, Ginger and Cinnamon syrup..and chocolate syrup if so desired... Serve immediately.

Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes.

Recipe followed : By the gorgeous and amazingly talented, a personal fave of mine...the goddess Giada De Laurentiis.

http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com/recipes/155/poached-pears-in-honey-ginger-and-cinnamon-syrup