Autumn is here, so this month I thought I’d celebrate new season pears with this cook. For this cook I’ve used whole pears to create the dish, though you could peel, core and half the pears before cooking if you wish, just keep an eye on them and reduce the poaching time if required.
Method
- Into a saucepan combine brown sugar, red wine, fresh orange juice, red wine, raspberries, orange rind, cloves, star anise & cinnamon and heat on the stove until the sugar is dissolved and a gentle simmer is reached. Approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
- Strain the poaching liquor through a sieve to remove the raspberry seeds, place the spices & orange zest back into the saucepan with the poaching liquor and peeled pears return to the stove.
- Poach over a medium heat for 20 to 30 minuets, turning the pears every 5 minuets to ensure each side of the pear is in contact with the poaching liquor. At the 15 to 20 min mark, place the sprig of lemon thyme into the pan.
- When the pears are tender, remove the pan from the heat and allow the pears to cool in the poaching liquor.
- Once pears have cooled, remove from the sauce pan and set aside. Strain the poaching liquor again and reduce by half on the stove top to create a syrup
- Serve warm or cold with a generous dollop of mascarpone, crushed toasted walnuts & red wine syrup.