Poached Pears with Pomegranate Syrup

poached-pear.jpg

A light and juicy dessert that is only just sweet enough.

It’s a perfect excuse to use up the leftover pomegranate molasses you have from making my Persian Lamb Meatballs. The nuanced flavor comes from cooking the pears in Moscato wine,  lime zest, bay leaves,  vanilla and cinnamon. A dollop of mascarpone takes these pears over to the creamy edge of heaven.

For 8 People

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 pears, peeled - most pears will do but I prefer the rounder varieties

  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks

  • 2-3 bay leaves

  • zest of 1 lime, and it’s juice (lemon ok too, but if lemon is big, use only ½ of it for zest) 

  • 2 cups Moscato, white or rose wine + 1 cup

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract, or one vanilla bean, sliced open- optional

  • ⅓ cup raw honey

  • ⅓ cup pomegranate molasses

  • 8 tablespoons mascarpone, chilled

  • pomegranate arils for garnishing

  • crushed hazelnuts or pistachios, for garnishing (stick whole nuts in a dishtowel and bang with a meat mallet or heavy mug to crush.)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Lay peeled pears face down in a heavy-bottomed pan. 

  2. Scatter cinnamon, bay leaves, lime zest and vanilla. Add wine. 

  3. Cook over medium high heat until it starts to bubble. Cover and turn to medium low heat. 

  4. Check every 20 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid. If it is dry, add a few splashes more wine. 

  5. Once pears are very soft, about 45 minutes, remove and set aside. 

  6. In the pan, add honey, pomegranate molasses, and another cup of wine. Set over medium high heat and let bubble until a thick syrup forms.

  7. To plate: Top each pear with a tablespoon of cold mascarpone, a healthy drizzle of syrup, some pomegranate rails, and crushed nuts.

Elana HorwichRecipe