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A warm poached pear is sublime in late fall and winter. And it’s virtually impossible to mess up. But don’t use just any pear. The firm Bosc and Seckel varietals are best. (Softer ones like Bartlett fall apart when cooked.) The recipe is adapted from food writer David Lebovitz.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients + Tools:
- Parchment paper
- Scissors
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 pears (firm type), peeled, halved and cored
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 2 slices fresh lemon (the acid helps the fruit from discoloring)
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Take a large sheet of parchment paper and fold it into a triangle. Hold the triangle over a large, heavy saucepan with the point suspended over the middle of the pan. Trim the wide end so when you open the sheet, it fits the dimensions of the pan. Cut a tiny hole in the center of the sheet. Set aside.
In the saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring and cooking until the sugar is dissolved. Add spices and lemon. Carefully add the pear halves to the mixture and place the parchment on top – it’ll help keep the fruit submerged so they cook evenly, with the hole allowing steam to escape.
Simmer (low boil) for 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of the pears. Test for doneness with a small knife – you want the pears tender enough that the knife easily pierces the middle of each.
When cooked through, remove the pears with a large spoon, reserving the cooking liquid in the pan. Continue to simmer the liquid until reduced by half. Remove from heat. Serve each pear half warm, with reserved syrup as desired, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
