Add pears to autumn meals for a taste of fall

When you think of fall fruits, apples may come to mind quickly but pears are a delicious autumn fruit that’s ready for harvesting.

They are ideal for snacking fresh off the tree or can be cooked or baked into a wide variety of tasty treats.

Although pears are often used in desserts, they can also be found in beverages, appetizers, salads, baked goods, side dishes and entrees.

There are more than 3,000 varieties of this delicious, juicy fruit available, but a few are common throughout the area.

Bosc pears are large, slender pears with a rough brown skin. They hold their shape well when cooked, so are an excellent choice for baked dishes.

Bartlett pears, rounded globes with soft, tender skin, come in red and yellow varieties. They are ideal for eating out of hand because they are tender and juicy.

Anjou pears, which are either red or green, are juicy, good for baking or eating fresh.

The expensive and hard-to-find Comice is considered the best tasting, juiciest pear while Seckel pears are tasty and tiny.

Although a Bartlett’s skin color brightens as it ripens, most varieties show little change in color as they mature. The best way to judge how ripe they are is to check the neck of the pear. If it yields to pressure, it’s ripe.

If the pear you’ve bought isn’t ripe, leave it out at room temperature and it will slowly ripen. Speed up the process by placing pears near other ripening fruit, such as bananas, that give off ethylene.

Once ripe, pears should be refrigerated and used within five days.

Pears are nutritious, high in antioxidants and phytonutrients, as well as Vitamin C, fiber and potassium.

Following are recipes for pears from www.tasteofhome.org.

 

 

Taste-of-Fall Salad

2/3 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Dash cayenne pepper

Dash ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons sugar

1 5-ounce package spring mix salad greens

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 medium pear, thinly sliced

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large heavy skillet, cook pecans, two tablespoons vinegar, cayenne and cinnamon over medium heat for four minutes, until nuts are toasted. Sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar. Cook, stirring, two to four minutes, until sugar is melted. Spread on foil to cool.

Place salad greens in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk oil, mustard, salt and remaining vinegar and sugar. Drizzle over greens and toss to coat. Arrange the greens, pear slices and pecans on six salad plates. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes six servings.

 

 

Orange and Pear Upside-Down Cake

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

2 medium ripe pears, peeled and quartered

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 large egg, room temperature

1-1/3 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup half-and-half cream

In a 10-inch cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, melt butter in oven. Carefully tilt pan to coat bottom and side with butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and one tablespoon orange zest. Arrange pears in a single layer over sugar.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, coconut oil, egg and remaining orange zest until well blended.

In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually beat into sugar mixture alternately with cream.

Spoon mixture over pears. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

 

 

Spiced Pear Jam

8 cups chopped or coarsely ground peeled pears

4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1-1/2 to two hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick. Stir more frequently as the mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and skim off foam. Carefully ladle into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, then wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

 

 

Mushroom Pear Melts

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups sliced fresh shiitake or baby portobello mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

2 large ripe Bosc pears, thinly sliced

8 slices provolone cheese

In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, five to seven minutes, until tender. Stir in salt and pepper.

Place toast slices on a rack of a broiler pan. Top with mushrooms, then layer with pears and cheese. Broil three to four inches from heat for two to three minutes, until cheese is lightly browned.

 

 

Grilled Bistro Breakfast Sandwiches

2 teaspoons butter

4 large eggs, beaten

4 slices of 3/4 inch thick hearty Italian bread

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

4 ounces smoked Gouda or smoked cheddar cheese, cut into 4 slices

1 medium pear, thinly sliced

4 slices Canadian bacon, cooked

1/2 cup fresh baby spinach

Heat one teaspoon butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggs and scramble until set. Divide eggs between two slices of bread, then sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Layer bread with cheese slices, pear slices, Canadian bacon and spinach. Top with remaining bread.

If using a panini maker, spread remaining butter on both sides of both sandwiches. Grill according to manufacturer’s directions six to eight minutes, until golden brown and grill marks show.

If using an indoor grill, spread 1/2 teaspoon butter on one side of both sandwiches. Place buttered side down on grill and press down with a heavy skillet or other weight. Grill over medium-high heat three to five minutes, until golden brown and grill-marked.

Remove weight, spread remaining butter on other side of the sandwiches. Return to grill, buttered side down, and replace weight. Grill three to five minutes, until golden brown.

 

 

Homemade Pear Honey

8 medium pears, peeled and quartered

4 cups sugar

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

Place pears in a food processor and process until finely chopped.

In a Dutch oven, combine pears and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Stir in pineapple and cook five minutes, stirring.

Remove from heat. Ladle hot liquid into six hot half-pint jars, then wipe rims. Seal and allow to cool.

Refrigerate as long as two weeks.

 

 

Pear and Ginger Sparkler

4 cups pear nectar

2 medium Asian pears, cored and sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger root

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup plain or pear vodka

3 750-milliliter bottles champagne, chilled

Fresh pear slices

In a large saucepan, combine pear nectar, pears, ginger and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, until pears are softened. Cool.

Place mixture in a blender, cover and process until smooth. Press mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Stir in vodka. Pour 1-1/2 ounces into each champagne flute or cocktail glass. Top with 4 ounces champagne. Serve with pear slices.

Makes 18 servings.

 

 

German Apple Pear Pancake

For pancake:

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup 2% milk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons butter

For topping:

2 tart baking apples or pears or a mix of both, peeled and sliced

3 to 4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in a 425-degree oven.

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and nutmeg. Cover and process until smooth.

Add butter to hot skillet and return to oven until butter bubbles. Pour batter into skillet and bake 20 minutes, uncovered, until pancake puffs and edges are browned and crisp.

In a skillet, combine apples, butter and sugar and cook, stirring, over medium heat until apples are tender. Spoon into baked pancake. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Cut and serve immediately.

Makes six servings.

 

 

Slow-Cooked Gingered Pears

1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

6 medium Bartlett or Anjou pears

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

Vanilla ice cream and caramel ice cream topping, optional

In a small bowl, combine ginger, brown sugar, pecans and zest. Using a melon baller or long-handled spoon, core pears to within 1/4 inch of bottom. Spoon ginger mixture into the center of each pear.

Place pears upright in a five-quart slow cooker. Top each with butter. Cover and cook on low for four to five hours, until tender.

If desired, serve with ice cream and caramel topping.

Make six servings.