Wish I'd been around, Lorraine - maybe not too late. YOu might like to use a couple of them for pear & port reduction?
Pear & Port Reduction
1 or 2 firm but ripe pear -- peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 whole cloves
3 whole allspice
2 stick cinnamon -- broken in half
1 bottle ruby port or Merlot wine -- (750 ml)
Bring port, sugar, cloves, allspice and cinnamon to boil in heavy 2-qt. saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to medium low; add pears, cover and simmer 20 min. Remove pear and keep to use on a salad or fruit platter.
Strain the liquid and return to saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let reduce to a syrupy consistency - stay close, once the reduction starts, it goes quickly.
At this point you'll have to play with to get the consistency you want. I would stop when the liquid is like a maple syrup, it will thicken more as it cools.
If it's not the thickness you want after cooling, return the pan to the heat and reduce a little more. This step will just take practice.
You can use this reduction to drizzle over a salad, fruit platter ( I arrange the fruit, drizzle with the reduction and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano ), over ice cream, pound cake, hot cakes/waffles.....it's fantastic!
Tip for marking a reduction of 1/2 - measure 12 oz (approx. half of a 750 ml) of water and pour in pan you will use for reduction - stick a skewer in and mark with a pen where the level is. Discard the water and go on with the recipe - when reduction starts, every minute or so measure with your skewer till the same amount is reached. That's when the reduction will go quickly, so stay close.
Description:
"Once you have this reduction made, you will be finding all kinds of dishes and foods to drizzle it over. I use it on salads, fruit platters (and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano), ice cream, hot cakes and waffles."
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someone posted this over on c2c in '02, but I still haven't made it - I know you wanted tried and true, but this one looks like it's right up our alley....
Hello AlI:
I have spent months looking for this recipe. I am going to try it this weekend. During my searches many people asked that I share any recipe that I receive. I have been through so many sites I really don't recall which ones the requests came from so I will post to my favorite ones. Here it is:
I will use a slight variation and place more pears in the jars. I have to think that 6 pears will not fill one jar anyway. Good cooking to all. K.
Pears in Rum
6 medium pears, peeled and stems removed
zest and juice of 1 lemon
7 oz superfine sugar
12 oz white rum
1 vanilla pod
a few fresh mint leaves
1. Fill a deep saucepan with water and bring to the boil with the
lemon zest
and half the lemon juice. Plunge the pears into the pan and simmer
for 5
minutes.
2. Remove pears with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of cold
water and
the remaining lemon juice. When cool, transfer pears to a large
sterilized
jar and sprinkle with the sugar.
3. Pour over the rum and add the vanilla pod and mint. Seal firmly
and store
in a cool dark place, turning the jar occasionally until the sugar
is completely dissolved.
Allow to steep for 6-8 weeks before serving.
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Oh Lorraine, this is so good - I used it for a number of tastings in California topping polenta.
WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE
Recipe By :Abigail's Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c water
1/2 c Sauterne, or other dessert wine (I used Moscato)
4 stick cinnamon
1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, & cut in small chunks
1 c cranberries (fresh, frozen) I used dried and added sooner
4 pears -- preferably Bosc, peeled, cored, & cut in small chunks
1/2 c walnuts, toasted & chopped in large pieces.
Combine the sugar, water, wine, cinnamon sticks, & lemon juice in large pan.
Bring to a boil, stirring often, & boil till reduced by ~1/3, 8-10 min.
Add the apples (I added the dried cranberries here) & cook over med. heat, stirring occasionally, till just tender, 5-6 min.
Stir in the cranberries & cook for a few min. longer.
Remove the pan from heat, stir in pears, and let sit for a few min. till the liquid has cooled slightly.
Discard the cinnamon sticks & spoon the fruit & sauce into individual bowls. Sprinkle the walnuts over the compote and serve. (Note: for the polenta, I just added the nuts to the compote and served over the pcs.)
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and this is a Dave Nelson recipe -
PEAR ASTI SPUMANTI SORBET
Very fabulous and full of different flavors.
2 large pears, peeled, cored, sliced
1 cup sparkling wine like Asti Spumanti
3/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 tsp. fresh lemon + zest
1/4 cup whip cream
1/2 tps.. Almond extract
2 Tbs. Calvados or Pear Brandy (optional-yeah, sure)
In food processor chop up the pear. Do this lightly with pulses, you don’t want a puree.
Add the pears, wine, sugar, nutmeg and lemon in a large saucepan. Bring to a quick boil on high, reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Cool in refrigerate for 1 hour in a large pan. Stir in cream and almond.
Make it in ice cream maker, add alcohol towards end.
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Shall I stop now???