Poached Pears With Cranberry Purée Recipes

CRANBERRY-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Place pears in a saucepan large enough to hold them snugly. Add enough water to barely cover them (about 4 cups). Add sugar, cinnamon, citrus peels, honey, and lemon juice. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape vanilla seeds into pan, and toss in pod. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat, and simmer gently until pears are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add fresh cranberries, and simmer until cranberries are soft but not mushy, about 3 minutes more.
• Use a spoon to transfer pears to a dish. Spoon cranberries and syrup around pears. Add tea bag and dried cranberries if using. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Before serving, remove vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, citrus peels, and tea bag. Transfer pears to plates with some of the cranberries, syrup, and a dollop of yogurt, creme fraiche, or cheese.

RED WINE & CRANBERRY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the first 6 ingredients to a boil; add cranberries. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes., Meanwhile, core pears from bottom, leaving stems intact. Peel pears. Add to pan, in a single layer on their sides. Simmer, uncovered, until pears are almost tender, about 10 minutes longer, turning occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes., Drain pears; reserving poaching liquid and cranberries. Remove peppercorns. Place pears on dessert plates; drizzle with reserved poaching liquid. Top with cranberries and crème fraiche, if desired.

PEARS AND CRANBERRIES POACHED IN WINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place pears in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, cut side up. Top with cranberries., In a small saucepan, combine wine, sugar, cranberry juice, butter and lemon zest; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved; spoon over pears., Bake, covered, 30-35 minutes or until pears are tender, basting occasionally. Serve with creme fraiche.

POACHED PEARS WITH CRANBERRY PURéE

Steps:

• Combine berries, sugar and juice in heavy large skillet. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer over medium heat until berries burst, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Puree in processor until smooth. Strain into same skillet.
• Bring puree to simmer over medium heat. Add pear wedges and stir to coat. Simmer until pears are just tender, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove pears from skillet, shaking excess puree back into skillet, and transfer pears to paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve puree. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover pears and puree separately and refrigerate.)

POACHED PEARS FILLED WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut lemons in half, squeeze juice in a medium bowl, half filled with cold water and add squeezed lemon halves to bowl. Peel pears as carefully and as smoothly as possible, leaving stems attached. Place pears in lemon water as you peel them.
• In a large saucepan, combine wine, 3 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Remove pears and 2 of the squeezed lemon halves from water and add to the saucepan. Keep pears submerged in liquid by placing a lid slightly smaller than the pan, a damp piece of cheesecloth, or a clean dish towel over them. Simmer until pears are tender and translucent, 10-30 minutes, depending on ripeness.
• Remove from heat, and let pears cool in poaching liquid. Refrigerate when cool. (Pears can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance.).
• In a medium saucepan, combine fresh cranberries, kumquats, 1 cup water and the remaining 1 cup sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and let cranberries simmer gently until skins burst and mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in dried cranberries. Rmove from heat, cool completely, and refrigerate. (Cranberry sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance).
• Remove pears from poaching liquid with a slotted spoon, and cut in half lengthwise. Drain on paper towels. Using a melon baller or small spoon, carefullly scoop out seeds and a little of the surrounding flesh to create a small round cavity in each pear half. When ready to serve, fill each cavity with 1-2 tablespoons chilled cranberry sauce. Serve extra cranberry sauce on the side.

CRANBERRY-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the pears in a saucepan large enough to hold them snugly. Add enough water (about 4 cups) to barely cover them. Add the honey, sugar, orange and lemon zests, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick.
• Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape the vanilla seeds out of the pod and add them to the pan. Toss in the pod and add the tea bag. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes.
• Add the cranberries and return to a simmer until they burst, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bag.
• Transfer the pears to a large bowl and pour over the cranberries and syrup. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
• Remove and discard the citrus zest, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean. To serve, arrange the pears on a platter. Spoon over the cranberries and as much of the poaching liquid as desired. Serve.

CRANBERRY POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Put the cranberry juice, orange juice and sugar in a saucepan large enough to hold the pears. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Add the cinnamon and star anise, if using, and boil for 5 minutes.
• Peel the pears and immediately stand them in the pan with the cranberry syrup. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, or until the pears are cooked and soft through to the center when pierced with a skewer.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely in the syrup. Chill for 2 hours or overnight, occasionally turning the pears in the syrup to achieve an even color.
• Remove the pears from the pan and bring the cranberry syrup to the boil for 20 minutes, or until reduced to a thick syrup. Add the fresh cranberries and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until competely cooled.
• Place the pears on a plate with the cranberries and pour the sauce over and around them.

PEARS POACHED IN PORT WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Tie allspice and peppercorns in a cheesecloth bag with kitchen string. Put bag in a large saucepan with remaining ingredients except pears and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and arrange on sides in poaching liquid. Simmer, uncovered, gently turning from time to time, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness.
• Discard cheesecloth bag and carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Discard ginger, cinnamon stick, and zest. Serve pears warm or at room temperature with syrup.

POACHED PEARS FILLED WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut lemons in half, squeeze juice into a medium bowl half filled with cold water, and add squeezed lemon halves to bowl. Peel pears as carefully and smoothly as possible, leaving stems attached. Place pears in lemon (acidulated) water as you peel them.
• In a large saucepan, combine wine, 3 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Remove pears and 2 of the squeezed lemon halves from water, and add to the saucepan. Keep pears submerged in liquid by placing a lid slightly smaller than the pan, a damp piece of cheesecloth, or a clean dish towel over them. Simmer until pears are tender and translucent, 10 to 30 minutes, depending on ripeness.
• Remove from heat, and let pears cool in poaching liquid. Refrigerate when cool. (Pears can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance.)
• In a medium saucepan, combine fresh cranberries, kumquats, 1 cup water, and the remaining 1 cup sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and let cranberries simmer gently until skins burst and mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in dried cranberries. Remove from heat, cool completely, and refrigerate. (Cranberry sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)
• Remove pears from poaching liquid with a slotted spoon, and cut in half lengthwise. Drain on paper towels. Using a melon baller or small spoon, carefully scoop out seeds and a little of the surrounding flesh to create a small, round cavity in each pear half. When ready to serve, fill each cavity with 1 to 2 tablespoons chilled cranberry sauce. Serve extra cranberry sauce on the side.