Fall pears make the season taste delicious
A pear in its prime is simply sublime. The sweet juiciness, the refreshing texture, the colors from gold and green to brown and burnished red — they're so distinctively fall that I almost don't mind that summer is a mere memory.
I appreciate all the varieties, from the bright yellow Bartlett — perfect for eating out of hand — to the long, lean Bosc — which is great for poaching and roasting — to the succulent Anjou, which is delicious cooked and raw.
But to truly enjoy pears, one needs patience. Unlike most fruits that ripen on the tree, pears are one of the few fruits that are picked before ripening; if left on the tree they tend to rot. Instead, they are picked when the pear is mature, its sugar is at its peak and the pear is still hard, then it improves in both flavor and texture after a few days on the counter.
That's fine with me. I've got time, and as someone who has bitten into more than her fair share of underripe pears, I know it's well worth the wait for a pear to reach its sweet and succulent maturity.
But how do you know if a pear is ripe? The latest advice from the Pear Bureau Northwest is to "check the neck" when purchasing the fruit. Only the Bartlett pear's skin turns a bright red when ripe; other varieties, such as Anjou, Bosc and Comice, remain green with a rosy tint. So, to determine ripeness, simply apply gentle pressure to the neck of the pear with your thumb. When it yields to the slight pressure, it's ready to enjoy. Once a pear is ripe, use it or refrigerate. The refrigerator will delay further ripening slightly, and should give you an additional three to five days after the pear has ripened.
Unlike apples, pears are a minor crop in Michigan. Still, in 2010, about 900 tons of pears from approximately 1,000 acres scattered among 230 fruit farms went into baby food, wine and brandy, with Bartlett being the major variety, followed by the Bosc. But even though we can't compete with the Northwest, specifically Oregon and Washington, where pears reign supreme, many area farm stands and farmers markets feature Michigan pears for our pleasure.
Now is the time to gather them up and include them in your fall repertoire for everything from appetizers and salads to sides and dessert. Pears can be used in both sweet and savory dishes with excellent results. When I have several that need to be used up, I like to make a pear walnut bread, grating the pears peel and all to make a moist and delicious loaf.
For baking, I prefer to use a Bartlett, which ripens earlier in the fall — right about now in fact — or a Anjou, which ripens later. The smaller Forelle and Seckel pear is great for a child's lunch box, and the Bosc and Comice are wonderful when roasted.
I also like to slice them, hollow out the center and roast in butter and a bit of wine before adding a scoop of blue cheese during the last few minutes of oven time. They look lovely served atop a salad of field greens and are wonderful when added to bread stuffing to serve with roast chicken or that Thanksgiving meal, combined with parsnips for latkes or enveloped in puff pastry with some gruyere to make flaky appetizer turnovers. Or make a creamy pear and celery bisque for the first course of an autumn meal. And, saving the best for last, a pear clafouti (kla-foo-ti), a French baked custard dessert, can be whipped up and popped into the oven right before you sit down to a meal. Served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar, it is a pure fall delight.
I've found that pears don't take well to freezing, so it's best to use them while you can. But you can preserve them in a jam or chutney or make a pear butter that is wonderful smeared on an English muffin or toast for a breakfast treat. Ever try a pear salsa? It's wonderful when served with roasted pork or chicken.
Pears are also great when they don't have to be prepared at all, as they look so pretty mounded in a wooden or ceramic bowl as a table decoration. And when they pass the ripeness test, they can be enjoyed eaten out of hand. There's nothing like biting into a fresh, ripe pear on a crisp fall day — the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture is your reward for patience.
KLawson@detroitnews.com
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Pear Salad
Recipe from Epicurious
10 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into large dice
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups (loosely packed) baby spinach leaves
1 Anjou pear, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
¾ cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese (about 5 ounces)
½ cup red bell pepper, cut into fine dice
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
In a large skillet over moderately high heat, sauté the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel–lined plate to drain. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the spinach with half the dressing.
Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Top with the pear slices. Sprinkle the bacon, cheese, red pepper and shallot over each plate. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Per serving: 465 calories; 40 g fat (12 g saturated fat; 77 percent calories from fat); 13 g carbohydrates; 8 g sugar; 48 mg cholesterol; 886 mg sodium; 17 g protein; 4 g fiber.
Pear and Celery Bisque
Recipe from Bon Appétit
4 ½ tablespoons butter
6 cups thinly sliced celery with leaves (preferably organic; about 12 stalks) plus chopped leaves (for garnish)
18 ounces unpeeled ripe Bartlett pears, cored, diced (generous 3 cups) plus ½ cup finely diced (for garnish)
1 ½ cups chopped dark green leek tops
3 small Turkish bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
Melt butter in pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced celery, generous 3 cups diced pears, leek tops, bay leaves and thyme. Cover; cook until celery softens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Toss in flour
Stir in 3 cups broth; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until celery is tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove bay leaves from soup. Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return puree to same pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth by ¼ cupfuls, if desired. Rewarm briefly.
Divide soup among bowls; garnish with ½ cup finely diced pear and celery leaves. Serves 6.
Per serving: 307 calories; 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 32 percent calories from fat); 48 g carbohydrates; 14 g sugar; 27 mg cholesterol; 319 mg sodium; 7 g protein; 6 g fiber.
Vanilla Pear Clafouti
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
¾ cup sweet white wine (such as Riesling)
3 large pears, peeled, cored, cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices
4 large eggs
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine wine and pears in large bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Drain pears, reserving ¼ cup wine.
Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Beat eggs, sugar and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add milk, butter, vanilla and reserved 1/8 cup wine; whisk until smooth. Arrange pears in prepared dish. Pour batter over pears.
Bake clafoutis until center is set and top is golden, about 55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Sift powdered sugar generously over top. Cut into wedges; serve warm. Serves 6.
Per serving: 325 calories; 13 g fat (7 g saturated fat; 36 percent calories from fat); 44 g carbohydrates; 32 g sugar; 169 mg cholesterol; 169 mg sodium; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber.
Pear and Parsnip Latkes
Recipe from Epicurious
1 6- to 7-ounce underripe Bosc pear, quartered, cored
1 7- to 8-ounce parsnip, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 ½ tablespoons chopped celery leaves
1 ½ teaspoons drained white horseradish
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Vegetable oil (for frying)
Using coarse grating blade, shred pear in processor. Transfer to paper towels; squeeze very dry. Transfer to large bowl. Shred parsnip in processor; add to pear. Mix in next 4 ingredients, then panko and a sprinkle of black pepper. Coat bottom of large skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Drop batter by packed ¼ cupfuls into skillet; flatten to ½-inch thickness. Sauté until brown and cooked, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serves 10.
Per serving: 91 calories; 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 59 percent calories from fat); 8 g carbohydrates; 2 g sugar; 21 mg cholesterol; 187 mg sodium; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber.
Pear Salsa
Recipe from Bon Appetit
3 8-ounce firm but ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped white onion
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 large serrano or jalapeño chili with seeds, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) Makes 12 servings.
Market tip: Mexican limes, sold at Latin American markets and some supermarkets, are especially good in this recipe because they are sweeter and more fragrant than Persian limes (the more familiar variety). Mexican limes are also referred to as Key limes.Makes about 3 cups
Per serving (per ¼ cup): 37 calories; 0 g fat (0 g saturated fat; 0 percent calories from fat); 10 g carbohydrates; 6 g sugar; 0 mg cholesterol; 26 mg sodium; 0.4 g protein; 2 g fiber.
Pear Leek and Gruyere Turnovers
Recipe from Bon Appetit
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter
1 ½ cups chopped leeks
1 6- to 7-ounce firm but ripe pear, peeled, cored, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¾ cup (packed) grated Gruyère cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; stir 1 minute. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until leeks begin to brown, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in pear and sugar. Increase heat to medium; saute uncovered until any liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; cool. Stir in cheese and chives.
Place puff pastry sheets on work surface. Using 4 ½-inch-diameter tartlet-pan rim or bowl as aid, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet. Roll out each pastry round to 5-inch circle. Place leek mixture on half of each pastry round, dividing equally. Brush pastry edges with egg glaze. Fold pastry over filling, pressing to adhere. Press edges with fork to seal. Brush turnovers with egg glaze. Pierce pastry in several places with toothpick. Place on baking sheet. Chill 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake turnovers until puffed and golden, about 18 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 8 first-course servings.
Per serving: 360 calories; 24 g fat (8 g saturated fat; 60 percent calories from fat); 27 g carbohydrates; 5 g sugar; 46 mg cholesterol; 377 mg sodium; 9 g protein; 1 g fiber.
Pear tips
■Leave firm, unripe pears at room temperature in a paper bag for a few days.
■Check the neck for ripeness daily by applying gentle pressure to the neck, or stem end, with your thumb. If it yields to pressure, then the pear is ready to eat.
■Once a pear is ripe, it can be refrigerated to slow the ripening process and kept for up to five days.
■To prevent browning: The flesh of cut or peeled pears will eventually turn brown, so to keep them looking appetizing, dip them in a mild solution of 50 percent water and 50 percent lemon juice.
■Thoroughly wash pears immediately prior to eating or preparation. Under cold, drinkable water, use your clean hands or a soft-bristled produce brush to gently but vigorously scrub the entire exterior of the pear, taking extra care to cleanse the indentations near the stem (at the top) and calyx (at the bottom) of the pear. The total process will take 15-20 seconds.
■Wash fruit even if you plan on peeling it.
■You can substitute pears for apples in most recipes.
■Add sliced pears along with caramelized onions as a pizza topping for a fall appetizer.
■1 cup of sliced pears provides a significant source of vitamin C. Pears are an excellent source of dietary fiber (a medium-sized pear has 6 grams of fiber and no saturated fat, sodium or cholesterol). A medium pear has about 100 calories.
■To roast pears: Peel and halve pears lengthwise, hollow out center. Place in baking dish cut side down and dot with butter. Pour dry white wine into the bottom of the pan about ½ -inch deep. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes until tender. Turn pears over. Add a scoop of blue cheese into each hollow and roast 5-10 minutes more.