RECIPE: Vanilla Pear Muffins

For the topping:

3 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. chopped walnuts, ground (see note above)

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (if available)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil or walnut oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 or 5 firm, ripe pears, 2 lb. total, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease 14 standard muffin cups with butter.

To make the topping, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar, walnuts and cinnamon. Set aside.

To make the muffins, in a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla until blended. Add the flour mixture, stirring just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold in the pears and walnuts just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. When mixing, take care not to break up the fruit. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them level with the rim. Sprinkle the muffins with the topping, dividing it evenly. Fill the unused muffin cups one-third full with water to prevent warping. Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer the pan(s) to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes, then unmold the muffins onto the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 14 muffins.

RECIPE: Ginger Pear Smoothie

 2 pears, chopped

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

3 Tbsp hemp seeds

1-2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp almond butter

1 ½ cup unsweetened almond milk

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Some people like this warmed in a sauce pan... I drink it as is!

*Note: recipe makes two smoothies.  It can be halved for one.

RECIPE: Cinnamon Baked Pears

2 large ripe pears

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

1/4 c crushed walnuts

Optional add in: handful raisins

Optional toppings: yogurt, vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Slice pears in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet, flesh side up. You can cut the skin side, as well, so they stay flat.

3. Scoop out seeds

4. Sprinkle with cinnamon and add walnuts and raisins. Drizzle honey on top.

5. Bake for 30 minutes

6. Let cool (they come out very hot!!), and serve plain or with your favorite topping.

Pear-Ginger Pie

 

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus macerating and cooling time

Cook Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, plus macerating and cooling time

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds (6 large) Pears—peeled, quartered, cored and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick

½ cup, plus 1 tablespoon, granulated sugar, divided

½ cup crystallized ginger, roughly chopped

¼ cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 flaky piecrust

1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1.     In a large bowl, toss the pears with ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the crystallized ginger, cornstarch, orange juice, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 350º. Strain the pears of any excess liquid and transfer the liquid to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the liquid back to the bowl with the pears and toss to incorporate.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of the pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie tin pressing to fit the tin, leaving at least 1 inch of overhang on the sides. Spoon the filling into the tin over the dough, spreading to make an even layer.

4. Roll out the other disk of pie dough into a 10-inch square. Using a knife, cut eighteen ½-inch strips of dough. Take 3 strips of the dough and braid into 1 strand. Repeat this process until you have 6 braided strips. Place 3 strips horizontally across the pears, then pull alternating strips back and lay the additional strips perpendicular. Trim off the extra dough, then roll up the edge to make a rim around the dish. Using your fingers, crimp edges of the pie.

5. Brush the dough liberally with the beaten egg, then sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar over top. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling has thickened, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

RECIPE: Pear Bread

Difficulty Level: EASY

•3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan(s)

•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
•1 cup chopped walnuts
•3/4 cup butter, softened, or 3/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan(s)
•3 eggs, lightly beaten
•2 cups sugar
•2 cups peeled and finely grated ripe but firm pears
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the flour mixture and combine it in a small bowl with the chopped walnuts, tossing to coat the nuts.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the butter or oil, eggs, sugar, grated pear, nuts, and vanilla, and stir to mix everything well. Scrape the pear mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until the flour disappears and the batter is evenly moistened.

4. Quickly and gently scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the bread is handsomely browned and firm on top and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel for about 10 minutes. Then turn it out onto a plate or a wire rack to cool completely, top side up. Serve as is, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

RECIPE: Cocoa Pear Crisps

Difficulty Level: EASY

• 3 very firm pears

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon powdered galangal, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (if not using galangal, increase this to 1 teaspoon)
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cocoa

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Halve each pear and use a melon baller to scoop out the core (including the stem).

2. Set a mandoline to the 1/8-inch setting, and slice each pear half into about 10 very thin slices. Occasionally, the 1/8-inch setting will cause the pears to mush or crumble. In this case, the 1/4-inch setting will work, though the crisps will need an extra 15 minutes or so in the oven.

3. Mix sugar and spices in small bowl. Place pear slices on rack set over baking sheet. Alternatively, place slices on silpat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with spiced sugar. Bake until almost dry, about 1 hour, turning the slices over and the sheets around half way through to ensure even baking. Cool on rack or sheet. Store airtight up to 2 days.

RECIPE: Pear Maple Tarte Tatin

Difficulty Level: EASY

Makes one 9-inch tart

•160 ounces (1/2 cup) grade B maple syrup (or what you have on hand)

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•3/4 pound store bought puff pastry
•5 or 6 medium Bosc pears, peeled, halved, and cored
• Crème fraîche or unsweetened whipped cream, for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, or until thickened, dark, and reduced to about 1/4 cup (60 milliliters). (It foams up in the pan, so be sure to use a large enough pan so it doesn’t boil over. Once it foams, turn down the heat so it simply simmers—if it keeps foaming it will start to burn. Watch it carefully! It will look like it’s boiling away, so keep decreasing the heat to keep it at a low simmer.)

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Pour the maple butter into a 9-inch (23-centimeter) round cake pan. It may harden into a firm mass—do your best to spread it evenly on the bottom of the pan, but don’t stress about it.

3. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350° F (175°C).

4. Place the pears, rounded side down, in the caramel in the cake pan, as close together as possible and overlapping them a bit to cover the entire bottom of the pan. You want every single possible bottom surface of the pan to be covered with pears; the fruit cooks down and reduces somewhat in the oven, so don’t be shy about packing the fruit in tightly. When you have covered the bottom layer as best you can, cut any remaining pear halves in quarters or eighths so you can better layer the pears on top of each other, arranging the fruit so that it is fairly level on top.

5. Remove the dough circle from the refrigerator and trim it so that it is an even circle, keeping it about 10 inches (25 centimeters) in diameter. Drape the dough directly on top of the pears and tuck the edges of the dough around the fruit into the sides of the pan. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes, or until the puff pastry is deep golden brown and the juices from the pears are bubbling up along the sides of the pan.

6. Place a large serving platter on top of the tart and quickly and carefully invert the pan so the puff pastry circle is on the bottom and the fruit is on top. Rearrange the fruit, if necessary, as sometimes it gets jostled loose and falls off the pastry. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or unsweetened whipped cream. The tart can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

RECIPE: Pear Salad

Difficulty Level: EASY

Vinaigrette:

•1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
•1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
•2 tablespoons sherry or apple cider vinegar
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•1/4 teaspoon black pepepr
•1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

•4 cups arugula, lightly packed (or other lettuces)
•4 cups romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces (or other lettuces)
•2 ripe pears, cored and cut into 1/2" cubes
•1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
•3 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta, crumbled (or other CSA cheese)
•1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. In a small bowl combine the shallot, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk until the salt is dissolved.

2. Whisk in the olive oil and let vinaigrette stand at room temperature until salad is assembled.

3. Combine the arugula, romaine, pears and half of the pomegranate seeds in a large bowl.

4. Crumble half of the goat cheese over the ingredients in the bowl (this works best if the cheese is very cold).

5. Whisk the vinaigrette until uniform and add all but 2 tablespoons of it to the bowl.

6. Gently toss the salad with your hands or salad tongs, coating the ingredients well with the vinaigrette. If the salad seems dry, add the vinaigrette in small increments until it is dressed to your liking.

7. Crumble the remaining cheese over the salad and sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds and the pistachios over the top. Serve immediately.

RECIPE: Pear and Potato Gratin

Difficulty Level: Easy

1 large onion, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, very thinly sliced and simmered in water for 5 minutes, drained and patted dry
2 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup half and half or light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
5 or 6 gratings nutmeg
1 1/2 cups finely grated Swiss cheese (I used Gruyere) divided

1. In a large saute pan, saute the sliced onion in the 2 tablespoons butter until lightly caramelized ( about 10 minutes over medium heat). Set aside.

2. In a small sauce pan, heat the half and half to simmering and reduce by about 1/3. Add the salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.

3. In a well buttered baking dish ( I used a 9 x11 x2 inch oval), layer 1/3 of the potatoes, slightly overlapping. Layer 1/2 of the pears over the potatoes.

4. Sprinkle the caramelized onions over the pear layer and then layer the second third of the potatoes followed by the rest of the pears. Layer the remaining potatoes over the top.

5. Pour the cream and cheese mixture over the casserole followed by the remaining one cup of cheese.

6. Bake, covered, at 350F for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue to bake 15 to 20 minutes more.

TIPS: Pears

What you may not know about pears...

A little known fact about the pear is that it is one of the few fruits that does not ripen on the tree.  The pear is harvested when it is mature, but not yet ripe, and, if left at room temperature, it slowly reaches a sweet and succulent maturity as it ripens from the inside out.  Therefore, a little bit of patience and know-how will ensure the pear reaches its peak flavor.

Here’s what you need to do to ripen your pears:

• Leave firm, unripe pears at room temperature so that they can ripen.

• Check the neck for ripeness daily, by applying gentle pressure to the neck, or stem end, of the pear with your thumb. If it yields to pressure, then it’s ripe and ready to eat!
• Once the pear is ripe, it can be refrigerated to slow the ripening process and saved for use up to five days later.  But remember: don't refrigerate an unripe pear!

To Prevent Browning:

Like many fruits, the flesh of cut or peeled pears will eventually brown. This natural oxidation process won’t affect the taste or quality. However, to keep your pears looking appetizing and to prevent browning, dip them in a mild solution of 50% water and 50% lemon juice.

How To Freeze Pears:

Freezing helps you enjoy your favorite pear varieties all year long. Here are two ways to freeze pears:

• First, wash, peel, and core each pear. Make sure the pears you use are ripe, but not overripe.
• Next, cut the pear into even, thin slices. The number of slices will vary depending on the size of the fruit.
• Brush the slices with a lemon juice and water mixture. This prevents the fruit from browning.
• Then, choose your freezing method: syrup pack, dry pack, or your own method.
• Syrup Pack: Mix 2 cups of sugar in 3 cups of cold water in pot and bring to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, place pear slices in the boiling syrup for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Pack the pears into freezer safe bags. Remove excess air. Freeze. These slices will remain good for 6 or more months.
• Dry Pack: Place the pear slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze until solid. Remove and pack into freezer safe bags. 

RECIPE: Pear Parsley Salad Dressing Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pear, cored and chopped (not peeled)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a blender, process pear, olive oil and water on high until smooth
2. Blend in parsley, garlic and salt
3. Serve over tossed greens

RECIPE: Pear Butter

4 pounds Bartlett pears (unpeeled), cored, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 orange slices

1 lemon slice

4 whole cloves

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Pinch of salt

 

Combine pears, wine and lemon juice in heavy large saucepan. Cover and simmer until pears are soft, pushing unsubmerged pears into liquid occasionally, about 25 minutes. Force through food mill or coarse sieve to remove pear peel. Transfer to processor and puree.

Return puree to heavy large sauce-pan. Add remaining ingredients. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and boil gently until mixture thickens and mounds slightly on spoon stirring often, about 50 minutes.

Discard fruit slices, cloves, vanilla and cinnamon. Spoon butter into hot canning jar, filling only to 1/4 inch form top. Immediately wipe rim, using towel dipped into hot water. Place lid on jar; seal tightly. Repeat with remaining jars.

Arrange jars in large pot. Add boiling water to pot so that at least 1 inch of water covers tops of jars. Cover pot and boil rapidly 15 minutes. Remove jars from pot. Cool to room temperature. Press center of each lid. If lid stays down, jar is sealed. (If lid pops up, store butter in refrigerator.) Store in cool dry place up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.

RECIPE: Ground Cherry Marmalade

Recipe Taken from "The Farm Journal's Country Cookbook"

3 cups Ground Cherries husked and washed
2 cups Pears cooked, drained, and diced finely
¾ cup Water
½ cup Crushed Pineapple (drained)
¼ cup Lemon Juice
7 cups Sugar
½ bottle Liquid Fruit Pectin

Combine ground cherries, pears, and water: cook slowly for approx. 25 minutes.
Add the pineapple, lemon juice, and sugar-bring quickly to a full rolling boil. Add pectin: boil rapidly for 3 min.

Remove from heat and alternately skim and stir marmalade for 3 minutes.

Pour into hot sterilized jars: seal. Makes 7 one half pint jars.

RECIPE: Easy Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Salad Mix
1 head endive, chopped
1 Anjou pears
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Directions

Vinaigrette: In a saucepan, combine vinegar and cranberries. Cook over medium heat until cranberries soften. Remove from heat; add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Place in blender and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled.

Core and julienne pear.

In a large bowl, combine the Romaine lettuce, endive, diced pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Toss and drizzle with enough dressing to coat.

RECIPE: Baby Greens with a Warm Gorgonzola Dressing

Ingredients
4 slices bacon
1 pear, thinly sliced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
6 cups mixed baby greens
2 tablespoons toasted pecans

Directions
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate; crumble and set aside.

Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, white sugar, salt, garlic, and Gorgonzola cheese in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour the dressing into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and warm gently.

Toss the baby greens, pecans, pears, and crumbled bacon together in a salad bowl; drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

RECIPE: Smashed Rutabagas with Ginger-Roasted Pears

From Bon Appetit, November 2007

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

4 pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

3 firm pears (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt

Procedure:

1. Cook rutabagas in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 35 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine oil, lemon juice, ginger, and sugar in large bowl. Add pears; toss to coat. Spread on prepared sheet. Roast until tender, turning pears every 10 minutes, about 35 minutes total.

3. Drain rutabagas; return to same pot. Mash to coarse puree. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, 5 minutes. Add cream, butter, and thyme. Mix in pears and any juices from baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl. Cover; chill. Rewarm at 1-minute intervals.

RECIPE: Country-Fresh Pear Cake

Searching for ways to use up all those pears, try this dense cake.

From American Wholefoods Cuisine

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 lbs pears, peeled, cored, and sliced very thin (about 5 cups)
2 tbsp butter

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Beat eggs with milk in a large mixing bowl. Beat in honey and molasses. Add salt and flour and mix thoroughly. Stir sliced pears into the batter to coat.

3. Butter and flour a 9" round pan, preferably with a removable bottom. Spread batter in the pan. Dot top with butter.

4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until surface is lightly colored. Cool in the pan and remove sides to serve.

Cake can be eaten warm at room temperature, or chilled (which is quite good). Slice thin to serve and, if desired, top with a dollop of Yogurt Cream. (To make Yogurt Cream, mash 1/4 cup cream cheese with a fork. Beat in 1/2 cup yogurt until smooth and creamy. Sweeten lightly with 1 tsp honey or maple syrup. If desired, a little vanilla extract can also be added, or a dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg can be used on top.)

Apple and Pear Sauce with Ginger

Don't know what to do with all those apples and pears, make this sauce in your slow cooker and eat it with your breakfast, or with some of your favorite meat. You can easily make it all apple or all pear, as you wish. The ginger adds a nice heat, but feel free to omit it if you're serving it to little ones. (I didn't use the sugar or the butter and mine came out just fine.)

From Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

6 firm pears, peeled, cored, and quartered

1/4 cup sugar or honey (optional)

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 chunk fresh ginger, about 3 inches long, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients but butter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the fruit is extremely tender and falling apart, on high for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours.

2. Beat to make a coarse mash or use a handheld immersion blender for a smoother sauce. Stir in the butter. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold. The fruit sauce will keep, tightly covered, for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.