Serves 6
When selecting pears for this recipe you want to make sure they are firm but not hard and green. To develop flavor pears need to ripen at room temperature. Generally when we buy them in the market they’ve been in cold storage and rock hard – – so plan ahead and make sure the pears used here are still firm but have some nice perfume when you smell them. Any variety will do. If too soft, Comice (my favorite), Bartletts and Anjous tend to fall apart when cooked. Bosc, Seckel and Nellis seem to hold up a little better when cooked. I’m cooking the pears here with skin on but you could peel if you wanted to.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup or so fruity white wine such as Riesling
1/3 cup fragrant honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 large firm ripe pears, halved and cored
Candy cap mushroom sauce (recipe follows)
Add the butter, wine, honey and lemon juice to a large heavy sauté pan that will hold the pears in one layer. Add the pears cut side down and cook covered until just tender, about 5 minutes depending on their ripeness. Remove pears and set aside. Turn heat up to medium high and cook stirring until you have a nice caramel sauce, 3 minutes or so. Add pears back to pan to warm and coat with the caramel.
Arrange pear halves on plates and cut it lengthwise in 1/4-inch slices to form a fan. Drizzle with any of the remaining caramel, spoon some of the candy cap mushroom sauce around and serve immediately. Pears and sauce can be made ahead and rewarmed.
Candy cap mushroom sauce
Makes about 2-1/2 cups
Candy cap mushrooms, which are also known as maple caps, have an incredible sweet, maple/brown sugar aroma and flavor. They only grow wild and are even more potent when they are dried. They can be purchased mail order from Fresh & Wild in Vancouver, WA (800) 222-5578 (no website) or other specialty mushrooms suppliers. This sauce is also the basis for a wonderful ice cream.
1/4 cup dried candy cap mushrooms
2 cups light cream (half and half)
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
Drops of fresh lemon juice
Rinse dried candy caps and place in a small saucepan with the cream. Heat slowly and bring just to the simmer. Off heat and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
Meantime in a separate bowl beat the eggs and sugar together until light and smooth. Slowly whisk in cream and return mixture to the saucepan. Over moderate heat, stirring constantly, cook sauce until it just thickens. Be careful not to overcook or eggs will scramble. Immediately remove from heat and strain into a cool bowl. Add drops of lemon juice to taste.
John Ash © 2004
Rev. 1/12
John Ash © 2001
