Poached pears

I got acquainted with classic French style cooking when I went to study film-making in France. I wasn't really into French cooking (for that matter, any kind of cooking!) before that but watching passionate old and young chefs weaving magic in their respective open kitchens sparked an unwavering fascination (and appreciation).

I remember watching chefs pouring wine liberally while making mains & desserts and wondering if what I would finally get would be too strong.
Instead, what I always got were culinary masterpieces that not only tasted delicious but also looked like they were dressed up by a celebrated designer. As for the taste of wine? Just a hint. Enough to get your taste-buds excited.

I came across and sampled different types of poached pears during my time there. Some were poached using red wine and some using white wine. Some had robust flavours and some were delicate.The best poached pear I ate was made by an elegant grand-maman at a small cafe in Paris. It was many moons ago but even today, I remember that feeling of contentment after the first bite...

Over the years, I tried and tested different wines, pears and spices but I didn't come close to creating the flavours I remembered and cherished. And one day, after a lot of adjustments...voila!
Well, I still can't say my poached pears are as good as hers but my guests always love them. It's not the easiest recipe to make but you won't be disappointed if you like wine and pears. 


Ingredients

4 pears. I used French pears but any firm pears will do. Make sure they aren't ripe.
A bottle of white wine (not too dry). If you can find a slightly sweet white wine, this dish will be a knockout!
Sugar
A stick of cinnamon smashed
One small sprig of thyme
2 cloves
One tablespoon lime juice
Water
Dried edible flowers for garnish
Flaked Almonds for garnish (optional)
Vanilla Ice cream/Lactose-free coconut milk vanilla ice cream (to serve on the side)

Method

Using a tea cup measure, pour 4 and a half cups of wine in a big cooking vessel. Add 4 cups of water to that.

Stir well.

Now add  4.5 cups sugar, cloves, thyme, cinnamon and lime juice.

On a low flame, bring the mix to a simmer first and then let it start boiling.

While the mix is simmering, peel the pears. Make sure you keep the stems intact.

Cut off half a cm from the bottom of each pear so that the pears can sit up. This is necessary when you need to serve.

Your pears are now ready for poaching.

Once the wine-water-spice mix has been boiling for 5 minutes, reduce the flame.

Slowly add the pears into the simmering mix and cover the vessel.

Keep the flame on low.

After 10 minutes, lift the cover and turn the pears around so they are evenly coated.

Cover and continue to let the wine-water-spice mix do its job.

After 8 minutes, take it off the heat.

Let it cool down for 5 minutes.

Open the cover and take out the pears carefully. Keep them on a glass plate.

Let the mix cool.

Once it has cool down completely, add the pears to that and refrigerate.

You can keep this for  up to 7 hours.

When you are ready to serve or even about an hour before, take out the mix from the refrigerator.

Gently take out the pears and place them on a glass plate.

Put the wine-water-spice mix on the gas and allow it to simmer.

Let the mix reduce to half its quantity. It should thicken and get a little sticky.

Take off heat.


Presentation

Put a pear on a nice plate.

Arrange dry flowers (if you have them) around the pear.

Pour a little bit of the reduced wine mix on top of the pear.

Take a small scoop of vanilla/coconut milk ice cream and place it at the side.

Sprinkle the ice cream with flaked almonds (optional).

Serve.

Bon appetit!