Stirring the Pot - Poached Pears with Vanilla

This lovely recipe satisfies several food blog hops. Since I'm new to this game, I hope I get them right. This recipe is a prime example of the ease of cooking with Mark Bittman. His cookbook, How to Cook Everything 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food is my new favorite. I must confess that my blog peep, Pam @ Sidewalk Shoes is the one who introduced me to this awesome cookbook. Thanks Pam! 

Let's get to the important part.....the recipe.

Poached Pears with Vanilla

Makes: 4 servings

Time: about 20 minutes, plus time to cool

Pears can be poached at any stage of ripeness, with sugar added to the cooking water making up for any lack of fully developed natural sugars. So even with an unripe pear, this becomes an impressive, light dessert.

Other fruits you can use: apples, apricots, peaches, nectarines, kumquats, or pineapple.

2 1/2 Cups Sugar

1/2 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or one 3-inch cinnamon stick

5 Cups Water

4 Pears

1) Combine the sugar and vanilla or cinnamon with 5 cups water in a medium saucepan (large enough to accommodate the pears) over high heat. Peel the pears leaving their stems on. Core them by digging into the blossom end with a melon baller, spoon, or paring knife.

2) Lower the pears into the boiling water and adjust the heat so that it simmers gently. Cook, turning the pears every 5 minutes or so, until they meet little resistance when prodded with a thin-bladed knife, usually from 10 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the liquid.

3) Transfer the pears to serving plates. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate the pears for up to a day; bring to room temperature before serving.) Reduce the poaching liquid to a cup or less (this can also be stored for a day), then spoon a little over each pear before serving.

You can see the beautiful red pears I selected for this recipe. I did switch up the order of peeling and coring. I figured it would be easier to dig the core out before I peeled the pears. I'm so glad I did. The skin gave me a better hold on the pear. Otherwise, it would have been slickery.

Here are the tools I used for this recipe:

Pretty basic. This coring tool is a Pampered Chef product. They no longer have this exact item. But they do carry something similar. The Core & More. I use this for strawberries, tomatoes, and now, pears. If you're interested, I'm having a PC catalog show that is open through the end of the month. Your order will be shipped directly to you. Email me for details.

I'm at the "cool in the liquid" stage of this recipe. After the poaching liquid is reduced, I'll take a photo of the finished product. In the meantime, here's what they looked like when they were simmering away. You can see the vanilla bean and seed specks floating in the poaching liquid.

Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting.

This will be my entry for Make It With ...... Mondays #2 Vanilla



This is also my entry for Tackling Bittman Recipe Blog Hop here:

 

and here:



and for the Mark Bittman Food Matters Cookbook giveaway at girlichef .

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Stirring the Pot - Tackling Bittman

My blop peep Pam at Sidewalk Shoes is hosting a recipe hop called Tackling Bittman Recipe Hop. This is my first blog hop of this type. I'm excited yet scared. Excited to try new recipes. Scared that I'll somehow mess this up.

My hubby and I were at the grocery store tonight trying to decide what to have for dinner. He chose center cut pork chops. When we got home, the first thing I did was go to the index of my new Mark Bittman cookbook How to Cook Everything 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food. The Skillet Pork Chops Eight Ways looked like an easy method so I went for it. Here's the basic recipe:

4 shoulder or center-cut loin pork chops, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 tablespoons minced challot, onion, or scallion
1/2 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon butter or more olive oil (especially if it's flavorful)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or vinegar
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1) Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the olive oil; as soon as the first wisps of smoke rise from the oil, add the chops and turn the heat to high. Brown the chops on both sides, moving them around so they develop good color all over, no longer than 4 minutes total and preferably less.

2) Reduce the heat to medium. Add the wine and the garlic and cook, turning the chops onjce or twice, until the wine is all but evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, gturning the chops once or twice, until the chops are tender but not dry. When done, they will be firm to the touch, their juices will run just slightly pink, and, when you cut into them (which you should do if you're at all unsure of their doneness), the color will be rosy at first glance but quickly turn pale.

3) Transfer the chops to a platter. If the pan juices are very thin, cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced slightly. If they are scarce (unlikely), add another 1/2 cup stock or water; cook, stirring and scrapping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced slightly. Then stir in the butter or a few drops of oil over medium heat; add the lemon juice, pour over the chops, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Of the eight ways to prepare them this is what I selected: Pork Chops with Mustard. In Step 3, stir in 1 tablespoon or more of Dijon mustard with the lemon juice (some capers are good here, too, as is a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce). Finish as directed.

My variation: My hubby does not drink alcohol, so I substituted stock for the wine. I also added lemon zest and used some of my basil herb white wine vinegar.

The result? Delicious! The hubby is a fan. Here's a pic of the end result. Baked potato and pork chop with mustard sauce. Salad on the side that didn't make it into the photo.

Thank you Pam at Sidewalk Shoes for hosting this fun blog hop. If you'd like to participate, please go here and read the guidelines. Thanks for stopping by and visiting.

Peace and Joy,
Susan

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.