Muscatel & Vanilla Poached Pears

A soothing, naturally sweet treat designed with your health and comfort in mind. Poached pears are gently simmered in a blend of Muscatel wine and vanilla, creating a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s easy to eat and digest. The pears are naturally rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, providing a gentle boost to your overall wellness. A great way to indulge in something sweet and comforting while getting the nourishment your body needs for healing and recovery.

Ingredients

6 firm, ripe, large Anjou pears, peeled, halved, cored
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
2 cups water
2 cups muscatel (sweet wine)
6 Tbsp honey
1 tsp pure vanilla bean extract

Cooking Steps:

Toss pears with orange juice in large bowl. Set aside.
Combine water, muscatel wine and honey in large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until honey dissolves.
Add pears. Cover mixture with round piece of parchment paper. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until pears are just tender when pierced, turning when half- way through cooking, 15 minutes.
Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to large bowl.
Boil poaching liquid until reduced to half. Cool syrup.
Pour syrup over pears. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Remove vanilla bean. Halve the pears, removing the cores with stem attached. Or thinly slice each pear half lengthwise, leaving slices attached at stem end for a fancier presentation.
Using metal spatula, transfer pears to plates. Spoon some syrup over pears. Serve with ice cream or enjoy the poached pears as they are.

Excerpted from Healing & Easy Eats: Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Patients and Survivors (Second Edition), the official cookbook of the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance. Copyright © 2018. Available online now!

Muscatel & Vanilla Poached Pears