Asian Pears With Vanilla Poached Kumquats Recipes

POACHED ASIAN PEAR DESSERT RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove cores from pears and slice them 1/4-inch thick.
• In a medium pot, combine the water, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, ginger, and lemon zest.
• Bring to a brisk simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Add pear slices, stir to submerge in liquid, and simmer for three minutes.
• Remove from heat and leave to cool completely.
• To serve, divide pear slices among four serving bowls and spoon a bit of the poaching syrup overtop. Serve alone, atop yogurt or ice cream, or topped with whipped cream.

ASIAN PEARS WITH VANILLA-POACHED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into water with lime juice in a small heavy saucepan, then add pod, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then simmer 3 minutes. Add kumquats and simmer, covered, until they just begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Put pears in a heatproof bowl. Pour kumquats and syrup over pears and toss gently, then cool.
• Chill fruit, covered, at least 2 hours.

VANILLA-GINGER ASIAN PEARS

Steps:

• Cut each pear quarter lengthwise into 4 slices, and place in a large bowl. Bring ginger, vanilla seeds and pod, sugar, and water to a boil in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Pour mixture over pears. Press a piece of parchment directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Discard vanilla pod and ginger. Divide pears among 4 bowls, and serve with cookies or wafers on the side if desired.

POACHED PEARS WITH ASIAN SPICES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and spices with 5 cups water in a medium saucepan (large enough to accommodate the pears upright), and turn heat to high. Peel pears, leaving stems on, then core them.
• Lower pears into the water, and adjust heat to gentle simmer. Cook pears, turning them every 5 minutes or so, until they meet little resistance when prodded with a thin-bladed knife, usually 10 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat, and cool pears in liquid.
• Place pears on serving plates. (At this point they can also be covered and refrigerated up to a day; they should be brought to room temperature before serving.) Reduce the poaching liquid to about a cup (it can also be stored for a day), then spoon a little over each pear before serving.

POACHED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• Wash and trim off the ends of: 1 pound kumquats.
• Slice them crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch pinwheels, removing the seeds as you go. Combine in a small saucepan: 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, One 1-inch piece of vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped into the pan.
• Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Adjust the heat to a low simmer and add the sliced kumquats. Let them cook gently until translucent and tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let them cool in the poaching syrup.