The Pear Marathon

I was so close to the finish line, but so out of steam, I almost didn't complete the pear marathon. But a push of inspiration from the latest Cuisine magazine, and some deep personal commitment to the humble pear got me to the bottom of the carton* today. Turns out we didn't have Too Many Pears after all.

*A massive box of Beurre Bosc pears delivered fresh from Hawke's Bay by our friends Donna and Wayne, fruit couriers extraordinaire.

Pear and Almond Tart
Donna Hay is always good for an easy fruit dessert, and her recipe for pear and almond tart (from Seasons) is a great way to use up five small or three large pears -- and you can have a lot of fun arranging the pears into lovely patterns, if you're so inclined. I most definitely love pear art.

This is more of a cake than a tart, and I did a bit of dabbling to incorporate the unforgettable flavours of her pear and maple tart tatin.

Pears

• Peel, halve, scoop out the core with a teaspoon.
• Warm very gently in a heavy-bottomed pan in a couple of teaspoons of butter and a healthy slosh of maple syrup.
• Spoon the butter and syrup over the pears, and sip some because it's too good not to.
• Don't cook them, just warm them and swaddle them in buttery syrup.

For an easier option, just roll the raw pears in brown sugar. You don't get the maple syrup taste, but it's still very good.

Tart Cake

• 90 gm butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup self raising flower
• zest of one lemon

Chop the butter roughly into the brown sugar. Donna says to do this in the food processor until just combined. I did it with a pastry cutter (and finger cutter as it turns out), and you could just rub it in with your fingers.

Add the rest of the ingredients (no sifting, sorting or mucking around, just tip 'em in) and mix together with a wooden spoon.

Spoon the mixture into a baking dish lined with baking paper, and spread out as best you can. The mix is very sticky and thick, so don't try to be smooth and perfect. Just dab it about.

Place the pears on top in your favourite pattern. Pour over the syrup if you're using it, and put the dish in a 160 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes.

It's cooked when the cake is springy. Stick in a toothpick or knitting needle and if it comes out clean or with some cute little crumbs clinging onto it, it's ready.

The real reason to keep the pears as halves is to provide a nifty built-in cream holder. If I'd been more patient, I would have whipped the cream and twirled it into a dramatic top-notch, but there is something quite lovely about a subtle pool of cream warming inside a just-baked pear.

Peppered Pears

Cuisine arrived yesterday, and my interest was roused by a recipe for peppered pears. It sounded like a strange combination, but I was pretty desperate for pear inspiration yesterday.

Heat three tablespoons each:

• balsamic vinegar
• cider vinegar
• sugar

... in a heavy pan, over slowish heat, stirring until the sugar melts.

Add a tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper. Coarse is good.

Peel, core, and thinly slice three pears. I think not-too-ripe ones are best if you want them to keep a bit of shape.

Simmer the pears in the vinegary liquid for about 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally so they don't stick.

When the liquid has more or less evaporated, you're done.

As I have nothing planned to eat this with right away, it's going into the fridge until one night next week when we need some sweet heat to perk up dinner.

Oven-Dried Pears
Yikes, it was only as I typed that title that I remembered these babies were still in the oven, in danger of becoming Pear Chips. I got to them just in time. They are still springing, but dried and chewy around the edges, just like I'd hoped.

• Gather all the leftover pears, and chop out any bruised or dodgy bits.
• Peel, core, and slice roughly into slices -- about the size of a plump french fry.
• Put on baking trays lined with baking paper (simply a washing up avoidance tactic).
• Bake on fan setting at 140 degrees for two or three hours, until chewy. 

Dont' they look cute!

Even More Pears

Last week, I made pear paste, which ended up taking three attempts over three days to set, but it is so delicious the painful memories are erased already.

On Monday, we made Nigel Slater's Sunday roast of pork, pears and perry (pear cider), which must have been so good I neglected to photograph it. I really can't believe there are no photos of that meal... it was another outstanding Nigel Slater moment, even if we did have it on the wrong day of the week. I will dedicate a post to it one day, but not soon, as, you guessed it, we're fresh out of pears!