Pear Chutney

Call me chutney happy if you want to (believe me, I've been called worse). I realize I just posted another chutney recipe last week, but I saw this one the very next day and had to try it with my leftover aloo potato dumplings. This chutney is fantastic. In fact, it was so good my husband made himself a P.C.B. for dinner the next night (that would be a pear chutney burger). I wasn't really feelin' it, so I looked at him kind of sideways and passed. But he ate the whole thing, which tells you just how good this is. Or maybe it just shows you what lengths my husband will go to not to admit he had a bad idea. It could go either way.

SUVIR’S PEAR CHUTNEY

Makes about 2 cups

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 to 6 dried red chiles

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 cup dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

pinch asafetida

3 1/2 pounds Bartlett or d’Anjou pears (about 6), peeled, halved, cored, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1.       Heat the oil with the chiles, fennel seeds and cumin seeds in a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat until the cumin is browned, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Stir in the fenugreek leaves (if using), paprika and asafetida and cook for 15 seconds.

2.       Add the pears and salt and cook until the pears get juicy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

3.       Stir in the sugar and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3 minutes.

4.       Cook until the pears are soft, sticky, deeply golden and caramelized, stirring often, for about 35 to 45 minutes.

5.       Taste for seasoning, transfer to a plastic container and refrigerate for up to one week or ladle into dry and sterilized jars and can according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

from American Masala by Suvir Saran

pears

slicing pears

chiles, fennel seeds and cumin seeds

paprika and asafetida added

pears added

mixing in the sugar and vinegar

3 minutes later

about 45 minutes later (it's chutney)

pear chutney

.

Barley, Feta and Pear Salad

Welcome to day five of Greek week. That's right, Greek week isn't a work week, it's a full seven days and still going strong.  So break out the ouzo and make yourself comfortable.

I don't think my husband will mind if I say I fell in love with this salad (he's not the jealous type). I just loved the warm and cold combination. And all those distinct flavors that work so well together: the tangy feta with the sweet pear and slightly bitter radicchio. Plus the variety of textures: the crunchy nuts, chewy barley and soft pear.  All with just the right amount of light dressing to let all those flavors shine through. I wish I knew how to say delicious in Greek (I looked it up, but that didn't really help me).

 

BARLEY, FETA, AND PEAR SALAD

Makes 4 servings

2/3 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup walnuts

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1 large (or 2 small) celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 small head radicchio, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 firm, ripe pear, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.      Cook barley in boiling water until tender, about 30 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375° F.  Toast walnuts on a sheet pan until golden, about 7 minutes.

3.      Drain barley and transfer to a bowl. Add feta, walnuts, parsley, celery, radicchio, pear, lemon juice, and oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (it may not need much salt if the feta is very salty). Toss until combined.

adapted from Gourmet, November 1998

radicchio

chopped radicchio

fresh parsley

cooked pearl barley

mixing the salad

Pears Poached in Red Wine

I made these poached pears mainly because I wanted to use up the leftover marsala wine from the chicken marsala I made recently (that, and I love poached pears). You'll notice my pears didn't turn that gorgeous, deep red color they often do when poached in red wine (my marsala was on the light side). So you might want to pick a different wine if you're going for that look.

I served these with the poaching liquid, crème fraîche and pizzelles. You should consider crumbling the pizzelle over the top (I made the mistake of putting mine on top of the poaching liquid and the pizzelle soaked up most of it). It was still delicious, just a little soggy.

PEARS POACHED IN RED WINE

Makes 4 servings

1 (750 ml.) bottle dry red wine

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cinnamon stick

4 firm but ripe pears, peeled, stems left intact

serving suggestions:

crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream

pizzelles or almond-anise biscotti

1.      Combine wine, water, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cardamom and cinnamon in a heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer.

2.      Add pears and return mixture to simmer. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until pears are tender when pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Transfer pears to plate. Boil liquid in saucepan until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes.

(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill pears in poaching liquid. Before serving, rewarm over medium-low heat until pears are heated through.)

3.      Serve each pear with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.  Drizzle with poaching liquid.  Garnish with pizzelle or biscotti crumbs (or serve whole on the side).

adapted from Bon Appétit, March 1997

peeled and raw

everybody in the pool

poached

poached on a plate

with just poaching liquid and pizzelles on the side

Pear, Leek & Gruyère Turnovers

Since it's pear season (and they're so delectable right now), I really wanted to try something new with pears. I was delighted when I spotted this recipe because it had been so many years since I made turnovers. I knew it was meant to be. 

I'm pleased to report that I wasn't let down. These were a real treat. Warm, crispy, flaky, slightly gooey, savory and sweet, all at the same time. Definitely a home run. Even my 5-year-old loved them.

 PEAR, LEEK AND GRUYÈRE TURNOVERS

Yield: 8 turnovers

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups chopped leeks

1 (6- to 7-oz.) firm but ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 cup (packed) grated gruyère cheese (about 3 oz.)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 (17.3-oz.) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

1.      Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; stir 1 minute. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until leeks begin to brown, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in pear and sugar. Increase heat to medium; sauté uncovered until any liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; cool. Stir in cheese and chives.

2.      Place puff pastry sheets on work surface. Using 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet-pan rim or bowl as aid, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet. Roll out each pastry round to 5-inch circle. Place leek mixture on half of each pastry round, dividing equally. Brush pastry edges with egg glaze. Fold pastry over filling, pressing to adhere. Press edges with fork to seal. Brush turnovers with egg glaze. Pierce pastry in several places with toothpick. Place on baking sheet. Chill 20 minutes.

3.      Preheat oven to 400° F. Bake turnovers until puffed and golden, about 18 minutes. Serve warm.

Copyright Bon Appétit, March 2000

cooked leeks and pears

rolling out the puff pastry rounds (using frozen
puff pastry makes this recipe easier than it looks)

filling on top; brushing the edges with egg

sealed (or one could even say turned over)

crimping the edges

brushing with egg

already brushed, with holes poked

done!

closeup of the flaky layers

There are frozen puff pastry doughs out there made with real butter instead of oils (the way puff pastry was meant to be). They can often be found in gourmet or specialty shops. If you're lucky enough to have one nearby, check out the freezer section and see what you can find.

Warm Pear-Potato Salad

This dish is meant to accompany Marcus Samuelsson's Maple Glazed Tuna.  Pear and potato might sound like an odd combination, especially when you add curry to the mix, but trust me, it all works!

 

PEAR-POTATO SALAD

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or 1/2-inch pieces

2 Bosc pears (ripe but firm), peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup slivered almonds, roughly chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup shredded baby spinach

1.      Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the potatoes and sauté until golden, about 12 minutes.

2.      Add the pears, onion, garlic, almonds, and curry powder and sauté for 5 minutes.

3.      Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Toss with the lemon juice and spinach.

from New American Table by Marcus Samuelsson

getting golden

done

Romaine & Gorgonzola Salad with Pears, Roasted Garlic Dressing & Spiced Pecans

I suppose you'll either love or hate this salad, depending on how you feel about blue cheese. Some people think it smells like stinky gym socks. Maybe I'm smelling impaired, but I like it. If you don't like gorgonzola and would rather eat actual stinky gym socks, try another cheese or just try the roasted garlic dressing. I roasted a whole extra bulb of garlic, just so I could squish the cloves onto some bread (it was delicious, but I admit, the squishing was a major part of the appeal).

 

 ROMAINE AND GORGONZOLA SALAD WITH PEARS,

ROASTED GARLIC DRESSING AND SPICED PECANS

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Garlic Dressing:
11 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons apple cider

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt and black pepper to taste

8 cups bite-size pieces romaine or green leaf lettuce (about 1 large head)

1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1-2 ripe pears, chopped 

1 cup Spiced Pecans (or plain toasted, chopped pecans would be nice too)

1.      Preheat oven to 350° F. Toss garlic with oil in small baking dish. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake until garlic is golden and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic from skins. Reserve oil.

2.      Transfer roasted garlic to food processor. Add honey, vinegar, cider and mustard and blend well. With processor running, slowly add reserved garlic oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

3.      Toss lettuce with 1/2 cup of the gorgonzola, chopped pears and enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and spiced pecans and serve.

adapted from Fork restaurant, Philadelphia, PA

garlic cloves before roasting (remember, don't peel them)

roasted garlic cloves

If you want to roast garlic on its own, you don't need all the extra oil in this recipe (that's for making the dressing).  Just preheat the oven to 375° F.  Slice the top off a head of garlic (so you can see just a little of each clove).  Place in a small baking dish (or on a piece of aluminum foil) and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil (try to coat all the cloves). Wrap completely with aluminum foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cloves are brown on the edges and the garlic is soft.  Cool and squeeze out the roasted garlic.