If you haven't tried this, you don't know what you're missing. Jean served it over mixed fruit with a little Parmesan shredded on top...oh my! I made some Thursday and we nibbled on the pear after it was done until it was all gone. Here's the recipe:
* Exported from MasterCook *
Pear & Port Reduction
Recipe By :Jean Denham
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 firm but ripe pear -- peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
2 sticks cinnamon -- broken in half
1 750 ml bottle ruby port or Merlot wine
Bring port, sugar, cloves, allspice and cinnamon to a boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pear, cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
Remove pear and keep to nibble on, add to salad or discard.
Strain liquid and return to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let reduce to a syrupy consistency - stay close, once the reduction starts it goes quickly.
At this point you'll have to play with it to get the consistency your want. I would stop when the liquid is like maple syrup, it will thicken more as it cools. If it's not the thickness you want after cooling, return to the pan and reduce a little more. This step will just take practice, so use the reduction on everything and use it up quickly.
Tip for making a reduction of 1/2 quantity - measure 12 oz (approximately 1/2 of a 750 ml bottle) of water and pour in pan you will use for reduction - stick a skewer in and mark with a pen where the level is. Discard water and go on with the recipe - when reduction starts, every minute or so measure with your skewer until the same amount is reached. That's when the reduction will go quickly, so stay close from then on.
You can use this reduction to drizzle over a fruit platter (I arrange the fruit, drizzle with the reduction and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano), over ice cream, pound cake, hot cakes/waffles....it's fantastic.
Source:
"A Chef's Journey"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* Exported from MasterCook *
Pear & Port Reduction
Recipe By :Jean Denham
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 firm but ripe pear -- peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
2 sticks cinnamon -- broken in half
1 750 ml bottle ruby port or Merlot wine
Bring port, sugar, cloves, allspice and cinnamon to a boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pear, cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
Remove pear and keep to nibble on, add to salad or discard.
Strain liquid and return to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let reduce to a syrupy consistency - stay close, once the reduction starts it goes quickly.
At this point you'll have to play with it to get the consistency your want. I would stop when the liquid is like maple syrup, it will thicken more as it cools. If it's not the thickness you want after cooling, return to the pan and reduce a little more. This step will just take practice, so use the reduction on everything and use it up quickly.
Tip for making a reduction of 1/2 quantity - measure 12 oz (approximately 1/2 of a 750 ml bottle) of water and pour in pan you will use for reduction - stick a skewer in and mark with a pen where the level is. Discard water and go on with the recipe - when reduction starts, every minute or so measure with your skewer until the same amount is reached. That's when the reduction will go quickly, so stay close from then on.
You can use this reduction to drizzle over a fruit platter (I arrange the fruit, drizzle with the reduction and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano), over ice cream, pound cake, hot cakes/waffles....it's fantastic.
Source:
"A Chef's Journey"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.
Billy
Billy