Pears in White Wine With Saffron
An excellent wine for this recipe is an acidic sauvignon blanc. It marries well with the simple ingredients, resulting in a flavorful syrup that can be a wonderful addition to a cocktail. This is an ideal light dessert after a heavy meal, alongside a cheese course or even part of a salad with goat cheese in the mix. Don’t be too generous with the saffron; use just enough to get a sunny color.
Ingredients
- 3 cups or 1 bottle white wine
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 pinch of saffron
- 2 slices ginger, peeled
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 1 pinch of salt
- 4 pears, preferably Bosc
Instructions
- In a pot large enough to hold the pears, place the wine, sugar, saffron, ginger, vanilla bean and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the pears in half. Using a melon baller, scoop out the core.
- With a small paring knife, remove the inner part of the stalk, leaving the outer stem intact.
- Add the pears and lower the heat. They should be covered with the cooking liquid.
- Cover and poach gently for 10–15 minutes, turning them over occasionally to make sure they color evenly. If desired, you can place a circle of parchment paper on top of the syrup to make sure the pears remain beneath the liquid.
- Simmer until pears are soft when pierced with a knife.
- Drain and transfer pears to a serving dish or container. If you like a heavier syrup, reduce it until lightly thickened.
- Combine pears with syrup and allow to cool before serving. Keeps refrigerated up to a week. Serves 4.
About the author
Analuisa Béjar loves exploring flavor routes as the chef at her Sunny Bakery Cafe in Carmel Valley. She is a recent transplant from Mexico City, where she was a food critic, award-winning writer, editor, recipe developer, culinary teacher and organizer of Latin American gastronomy competitions.
