Pears Poached in Red Wine

HISTORY & INTERESTING FACTS

I'm excited to share a delightful poached pear recipe that offers multiple serving options. You can savour it on its own, accompanied by a scoop of crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, or use it as a scrumptious filling for my poached pear galette.

In Spain, pears flourish predominantly in the breathtaking Ebro Valley. On the outskirts of Barcelona, nestled in the Priorat wine region, I had the pleasure of experiencing a variation of this recipe featuring carignan wine. It was elegantly served alongside a scoop of saffron ice cream, leaving a lasting impression on me.

Much like my Spanish mulled wine recipe, this pear poaching recipe provides a wonderful opportunity to make the most of a bottle of wine that might have disappointed you or lingered open for a bit too long (we've all been there!). Plus, it's remarkably simple to prepare. So, if unexpected guests happen to drop by, you can whip up this delightful treat in no time, leaving your friends thoroughly impressed.

Bon Profit! Raquel x

Serves 4 or makes enough to top two galettes.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 brown pears (I use Beurré Bosc)
• 750 mL bottle of red wine (any, but Cabernet, Grenache or Shiraz work particularly well)
• 1 medium-size lemon (zest and keep zest to the side, then cut lemon in half and juice)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder (1 cinnamon stick)
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or one vanilla pod split lengthwise)
• 1/2 cup of fine caster sugar
• 1 fresh bay leaf (or 2 dried bay leaves)

METHOD

Please note: If using brown pears, you can leave the skin on for depth of colour and if using for a galette, the skin makes the finished pie look divine. You can remove the skin though, if you prefer. If you have decided to use green pears though, please peel them first as the green variety will oxidise differently and not look as appealing.

• If you are serving these pears on their own: Peel pears, cut in half and deseed/de-stem. Alternatively, you can poach as whole pears with stem still intact. Poaching time will be longer (20-25 mins, use a toothpick to skewer the base of the pear to check if tender after 20 mins, if not leave 3-5 mins longer)
• To use pears for my galette: Leave peel on, but you will also need to cut first in half, and then into slices before poaching. Poaching time will be less (10 mins).

Place whole pears, pear halves or slices (whichever you are using) into a bowl and pour over lemon juice. Mix well to coat pears - careful not to break-up pear flesh.

1. Add remaining ingredients into a medium saucepan.
2. Place pan over high heat and bring contents to a boil.
3. Once boiling, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and stir liquid until all sugar has dissolved.
4. When sugar has dissolved (you'll feel less grittiness at bottom of pan), gently place your pears into the pan.
5. Simmer the whole pears for 20 minutes, use a toothpick to skewer the base of the pear to check if tender at 20 mins, if not leave 3-5 mins longer (simmer pears halves for 15 mins or pear slices for 10 mins), uncovered, turning them (gently) to submerge. 

Note: You want pears to be soft, but still firm - not mushy or falling apart.

TIP, CHEATS & TROUBLESHOOTING

If using pears for a galette, remove slices of pear from hot liquid with a slotted spoon and place into a strainer over a bowl/sink to remove excess liquid.

As mentioned above: If using brown pears, you can leave the skin on for depth of colour and if using for my pear galette recipe, the skin makes the finished pie look divine. You can remove the skin though, if you prefer. If you have decided to use green pears though, please peel them first as the green variety will oxidise differently and not look as appealing.

You will need to store the poaching liquid separately, as the pears will slowly disintegrate if left to sit in the liquid, so don't leave the pears to wallow!

If you're not serving the pears immediately, you can store them in a sealed container for up to five days in the refrigerator.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

To serve pears on their own: place 2 pear halves onto a shallow soup bowl for each person. Drizzle over some of the poaching liquid and add a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream and scatter some crushed walnuts over the top.

Or serve as a single, whole pear for an equally gorgeous presentation - with ice-cream and walnuts as above.

If making a galette with the pear slices, refer to my recipe: Poached Pear Galette with Quince Paste.

BONUS: The poaching liquid can be frozen for use later in cocktails - think summer Sangria! I use silicone ice cube trays for ease of popping out.