Poached Pears

It’s fall & the season for pears! This amazing fruit supports lung function and is delicious on it’s own raw as well as poached. Try this easy, warming recipe with ginger and a sprinkle of lemon zest.

You’ll need the following ingredients:

  • 4 pears (a firmer variety of pear works best such as a Bosc, Anjou)

  • 4 cups water

  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger (grated)

  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

  • zest of one lemon

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

  • plain greek yogurt

  • sprinkling of walnuts or pecans

To prepare:

  1. In a saucepan combine to water, ginger, cinnamon, half the lemon zest & vanilla bean paste.

  2. Peel skin from the pears leaving the stems intact.

  3. Place pears in the poaching liquid (they should be mostly submerged), cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Then, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes.

  4. Turn off the heat and leave covered for a further 15 minutes until they are tender & soft.

  5. Serve whole or sliced in half (center cored) along with a generous spoonful of the poaching liquid.

  6. Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and/or with a dollop of plain greek yogurt and sprinkling of nuts.

The excess poaching liquid makes a delicious cider, hot or cold!

Andrea Thorpe