Title: Honeydew-Poached Pears in Honey Glaze
Ingredients:
– 4 ripe but firm pears (Bosc or Anjou)
– 6 cups water
– 2 cups honeydew melon juice
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 3 sticks of cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
– 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
– 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 1/2 cup honey, for the glaze
– Freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
1. Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Cut a small slice from the bottom of each pear to ensure they stand upright. Place them in a large pot and pour the water, honeydew melon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and vanilla bean in it.
2. Over medium-high heat, bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and let the pears poach for about 20-25 minutes; the pears should still be firm but not undercooked.
3. While the pears are poaching, prepare the honey glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the honey and water. Heat over medium heat until the honey dissolves and forms a thin glaze.
4. Once the pears are poached, carefully remove them from the poaching liquid using a slotted spoon or tongs. Set them aside to cool.
5. Strain the poaching liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, removing the vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and spices. Return the liquid to the pot and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the poaching liquid by half.
6. Meanwhile, warm up the honey glaze and mix it with the reduced poaching liquid.
7. Dip each cooled pear into the honey glaze mixture, making sure they are well-coated with the glaze.
8. Serve the Honeydew-Poached Pears in Honey Glaze warm or chilled, with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional).
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Enjoy!
