Poached Pears in spiced Citrus Juices

Pear is a  happy fruit at my home as my family loves eating this delicious fall fruit. Rich in Vitamin C, dietary fibers and anti-oxidants, Pear is a good source of minerals such as copper, iron, potassium, manganese and magnesium as well as B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin and pyridoxine.( Vitamin B-6). It is also one of the low calorie fruits. Source: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pears.htm

                                           

Every time i get a batch of these delicious fruit, we end up having it as a fruit on a whole and i hardly thought of cooking a recipe from pears. It was only when i saw this post on  Prernascafe , i was tempted to try out this dessert. 

                              

Poached pears is a wonderful dessert from the French cuisine. With a quick and easy to follow recipe, pears poached in spiced citrus juices make a perfect light and fruity dessert for a fall meal. In this recipe i have used honey with orange and lemon juice  and sweet spices such as Cinnamon , Star anise, Cloves and Ginger not only enhance the flavor of the cooked pear but also provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. The best thing is that you can add any of your favourite spices and flavor and give this dish a personal touch and distinct flavor you wish to have. Poached pears can be served plain or with a scoop of Vanilla or chocolate ice cream or chocolate sauce topped with berries of your choice.

Serves: 3

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking time : 40 minutes

Ingredients: Measurements- 1 cup = 200 ml

• 3 Pears
• 4 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of Orange juice ( i have used fresh orange juice)
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar ( i have used light brown sugar)
• 1 stick of Cinnamon
• 2 Star Anise
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1 inch piece of root Ginger (sliced)

  Method:

1. In a large sauce pan heat 4 cups of water, honey, sugar and spices on a medium flame. Once the sugar and honey dissolve completely lower the flame. Meanwhile wash the pears under running water. Peel them taking care the stalk remains intact. Keep aside.

   2. Add orange juice and lemon juice to the spiced boiling water.

  3.  Now lower the peeled pears in the boiling citrus juices. Cover cook the pears for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Keep the pears turning occasionally and basting with the sauces.

  4. Check the doneness of the pears by inserting a toothpick through the fruit. Remove the cooked pears and keep covered in a bowl . You can reduce the sauce by heating it in a wide sauce pan until it turns thick and glossy like i did or can allow the pears to sit in the sauce over night in a refrigerator.

  5. Place the pears in a serving plate and spoon the warm sauce over them. Every bite of the cooked pear drenched in the golden glossy spiced syrup is a treat to your palate. You can serve the poached pears plain when warm or alternatively serve them chilled with a scoop of Vanilla or chocolate ice cream or chocolate sauce topped with berries of your choice 

  Hope you all also get tempted to try out this dish once as i got . Would love to get your valuable feed back on this. Till then happy cooking :)