Are you loving Fall weather so far? I am. I’m especially loving my neighborhood farmer’s market. There is just so much goodness to look at, smell, sample and of course, bring home to eat.
This week in honor of pears being so abundant, I decided to try these fun recipes. OMG goodness everywhere!! I must say that I especially loved the Riesling Pear Pops (please don’t give these to the kiddies!!) but then again, warmed pear smells so good (and tastes yummy) anytime of the year. So enjoy and Happy Fall!
Riesling-Pear Pops
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 Bartlett pears (7 ounces each)—peeled, cored and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup Riesling, preferably 10.5-percent alcohol
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the syrup into a bowl and let cool. Add the pears and lemon juice to the syrup and toss well.
Transfer the pears and syrup to a food processor and add the Riesling. Process to a smooth puree. Pour the puree into six 1/3-cup popsicle molds and freeze until hard, at least 1 hour.
Make Ahead while the pops can be frozen for up to 1 week I don’t think they will last that long. Remember, these are NOT Kid Friendly!
Pear, Pear and more Pears
6 ripe Comice or Bartlett pears
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup pear eau-de-vie
Salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh or unsweetened frozen raspberries
1 1/2 pints pear sorbet
1/2 cup julienned organic rose petals
Peel the pears and brush them with the lemon juice; reserve the peels. Quarter and core the pears, then slice them lengthwise 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a large, shallow dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the pear eau-de-vie over the pears and add a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and simmer over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the reserved pear peels, cover partially and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Strain the syrup and refrigerate until chilled.
Using a wooden spoon, press the raspberries through a fine sieve until smooth. Reserve the puree.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the pear sorbet into each of 12 shallow bowls. Spoon the chilled pears and pear syrup around the sorbet. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of eau-de-vie over the pears and dot each serving with 2 teaspoons of the raspberry puree. Garnish with the rose petals and serve.
Baked Camembert with Pears
One 8-ounce round of ripe Camembert
1 tablespoon pear brandy
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped marcona almonds
2 Bosc pears, cut into thin wedges
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the Camembert in a small baking dish. In a bowl, combine the brandy, maple syrup and salt and pour over the cheese. Bake for about 7 minutes, until the cheese is very soft. Spoon any liquid over the cheese and sprinkle with the almonds. Toss the pears with the lemon juice and serve alongside the cheese.
