Sherry-Poached Pears

Poached and Roasted Pears

4 ripe Bartlett pears
300 mL oloroso sherry
100 mL sugar
zest of 1/2 orange
1.25 mL ground black pepper
50 mL raisins
30 mL honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
Maple-Roasted Walnuts

200 mL walnuts
50 mL maple syrup
Crispy Filo
15 mL honey
15 mL unsalted butter, melted
2 sheets filo dough
Serves 4.
Poached and Roasted Pears
Peel and slice off the bottom half of each pear. Dice the bottom halves and set aside. Place pear tops in a medium sauce-pan with sherry, sugar, and orange zest and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Allow to cool. Remove pear tops from the liquid and set aside. Heat 200 mL of the liquid on medium heat until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180’C. In a small roasting pan, combine diced pears, black pepper, raisins, honey, and lemon juice. Roast this mixture in the oven, stirring periodically, until pears are tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Maple-Roasted Walnuts
Preheat the oven to 180’C. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and lightly toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Shake off and discard the skin from the nuts. Drizzle nuts with syrup and toss to coat. Return to the oven and, stirring every 5 minutes, bake until all the maple syrup has crystallized, about 20 minutes.

Crispy Filo
Preheat the oven to160’C and line a baking sheet with parchmet paper. Whisk together honey and butter and brush onto one sheet of filo dough. Place the other sheet on top and flatten with a rolling pin. Brush the top with the honey butter. Cut the dough into 2.5 mm strips and lay them out on the baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown.

To serve
Roughly chop walnuts and toss with roasted pear mixture. Divide the pear and walnut mixture among four ring moulds the same diameter as the pear tops, pressing gently down with the back of a spoon. Carefully remove rings. Place the poached pear on top and drizzle sherry reduction over the pear. sprinkle filo strips around the pear to look like a nest.

Suggested wine: try a very good cream or Pedro Ximenez sherry.