Few fruits conjure a more distinct image than the pear. With its graceful, voluptuous contour, it is easily one of the most provocative and sensuous fruits in the world.
Unlike showy flamboyant summer fruits, pears discreetly suggest autumn.
The pear is one of the most ancient of cultivated fruits. Originally grown around the Caucasus Mountains between Russia and Turkey, the pear was spread by Aryan tribes as they migrated into Europe and northern India.
While the geographic development of Asian varieties occurred separately from those in Europe, their parallel history makes them kin.
Today more than 5,000 varieties of domestic pears are grown throughout the world’s temperate zones. The major commercial growing areas for European and Asian varieties in the U.S. are California, Oregon and Washington.
Because pears are one of the few fruits that ripen more successfully off the tree, they are picked when green and hard. (When left on the tree to ripen, the fruit becomes soft at the core and mealy.) This is a boon for growers, who can transport their crops with minimum damage.
It also means that once purchased, you must allow pears time to ripen at home, a process that requires diligent monitoring, since pears move from perfect ripeness to spoilage with surprising speed.
Although people are most familiar with the greenish yellow-skinned Bartlett or Packham that are ubiquitous in supermarkets, there is much diversity in pear color and size. From the brownish Bosc to the fiery Red Crimson, and from the amply proportioned yellow Anjou to the diminutive Seckel, each variety has a unique flavor and texture.
Selecting
When selecting European pear varieties, look for relatively smooth, unblemished skin devoid of dents, holes, marks or bruises. The fruit ought to feel firm, as it will probably be underripe.
In contrast to the European varieties, Asian pears are sold in a near ripe or fully ripe condition. They ought to be hard to the touch with crisp flesh, even when ripe. Avoid buying Asian pears that are soft or mushy in any way.
Storing
It’s best to store underripe European pears at room temperature, allowing them to ripen naturally. Ripening time varies depending upon the size, type and level of maturity when purchased, but most fruit will be ready to eat within two to four days if ripened at a cool room temperature.
You may retard the ripening process by loosely wrapping the fruit in butcher paper or wax paper and storing it in the refrigerator. Conversely, you may hasten the ripening process by placing the pears in a tightly sealed brown paper bag, alone or with a piece of ripe stone fruit (such as a plum, nectarine or peach), at room temperature for one to two days or until the fruit is ripe.
Store Asian pears in a tightly sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to use. Most Asian pears, depending on their size and maturity when purchased, will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Eating
Since most of us judge the ripeness of fruit by how it feels in our hand (the softer the feel, the more juicy and flavorful the flesh), it may take a while to adjust our “ripeness barometer” to accurately rate pears.
A European pear is ready to eat when it yields slightly to gentle pressure next to the stem. If a pear is soft and mushy on the exterior, you can count on the interior being unpleasantly mealy, dry and tasteless.
Although Asian pears are usually sold nearly ripe for optimal flavor, wait for the skin to turn a uniform color before eating, but do so before fruit becomes soft to the touch.
PEAR AND WALNUT QUICK BREAD
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 loaves, 12 slices each
Be sure to use firm, slightly underripe pears for this recipe. If the pears seem too wet once they are grated, squeeze some of the juice from them before adding to the batter.
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Grated rind from 2 lemons
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon each: salt, baking soda
3/4 teaspoon each: ground mace, ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 firm pears (preferably Bosc or Winter Nelis), peeled, cored, coarsely grated
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl using hand-held electric mixer, until mixture lightens, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon zest and vanilla; mix well.
2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, spices and baking powder in small bowl; mix well. Sprinkle dry ingredients over wet ingredients; fold in together, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Do not overmix. Add pears and walnuts; mix until evenly distributed.
3. Divide batter evenly between 2 greased 4 1/2- by 8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake on lower shelf of oven 40 minutes. Transfer to top shelf; bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center of the breads, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes removing from pans. Let bread cool completely before slicing. Loaves will keep well for several days if securely wrapped; stored at room temperature.
Nutrition information per slice:
Calories …… 240 Fat ………… 12 g Cholesterol … 25 mg
Sodium ….. 160 mg Carbohydrates .. 31 g Protein ……… 3 g
PASTA SHELLS WITH PEARS AND GORGONZOLA CREAM
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
If you can’t find imported dolcelatte cheese, also known as Gorgonzola dolce, use a mild, creamy, high-quality blue cheese instead.
2/3 cup walnuts
3 cups whipping cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
3 large ripe red-skinned pears (preferably Red Crimson, Red Bartlett or Red Anjou), halved, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
11 ounces imported Gorgonzola cheese, preferably dolcelatte rind removed, crumbled
1 box (16 ounces) medium pasta shells
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange walnuts in single layer on baking sheet. Place in middle of oven; bake 7 to 8 minutes, or until nuts are light gold. Let cool; coarsely chop and set aside.
2. Combine cream, garlic and red pepper flakes in very large, deep-sided saute pan. Heat to a boil over high heat; cook 7 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent cream from boiling over. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Add pears and cheese; mix gently. Remove from heat; set aside until needed.
3. Heat 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in 8-quart pot. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well; place in very large bowl. Heat cream mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling and cheese has completely melted. Add to pasta along with walnuts, thyme and rosemary; toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives; serve immediately.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 1,055 Fat ………… 69 g Cholesterol … 210 mg
Sodium ……. 985 mg Carbohydrates .. 83 g Protein ……… 28 g
ROAST CORNISH GAME HENS WITH PEAR AND CORNBREAD STUFFING
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 35 to 40 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
When preparing fewer than eight birds, transfer the extra stuffing to a lightly greased casserole dish and either cover tightly with tin foil and freeze for later use or bake separately in a 350-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
8 Cornish game hens, rinsed, patted dry inside and out
Stuffing:
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 firm pears (preferably Bosc, Winter Nelis or Forelle), halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups cubed store-bought cornbread stuffing
1 cup dry white wine
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. To make stuffing, cook onion, garlic and coriander in butter and olive oil over medium heat in large, non-stick pan for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, or until onions are soft.
2. Add pears; cook over high heat 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in cornbread stuffing and wine; mix well. Lower heat to medium and cook 7 or 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally with a fork, until stuffing is moist and pears are almost tender. Remove from heat; season generously with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature before stuffing hens.
3. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Using approximately 3/4 cup of stuffing, loosely fill each hen. (Do not tightly pack stuffing inside birds because it expands during cooking.) Using toothpicks or a trussing needle and heavy thread, close opening on each hen.
4. Lightly grease roasting pan(s). Place rack inside pan; set birds, breast side down, on rack.
5. Place in lower third of oven; roast 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Remove pan and turn hens breast-side up. Return to oven and roast 20 to 25 minutes, or until leg juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 785 Fat ………….. 46 g Cholesterol .. 235 mg
Sodium ….. 965 mg Carbohydrates …. 20 g Protein …….. 70 g
