Much is made of the apple, while the sweeter, subtler and more refined pear is seldom celebrated. And why? Because “apple” comes first in the alphabet? Because it keeps doctors away? Because it can hang around half the winter in the fridge while the delicate pear can perish in a week?
For no good reason that aficionados can figure out, the seductively delicious pear often gets left in the background. But lately it seems to be coming out of the shadows.
Not only are pears starring in glossy food magazines and showing up as objets d’art in decorating boutiques, they’re also being featured more prominently on some on the best restaurant menus.
“People have warmed a lot to pears,” says chef Jimmy Schmidt, who has always found creative ways of using them at his Rattlesnake Club in Detroit.
Pears add a delicate flavor and an element of newness to salads and entrees. They sweeten without being cloying. They complement many stronger, savory flavors, including cheeses, game meats, pork and roast poultry. And despite their aristocratic looks, they’re sturdy enough to stand up well to many cooking techniques, from poaching to sauteing.
It’s hard to improve on a fresh pear eaten out of hand, whether it’s a buttery-fleshed Comice, a russet-colored Bosc, a firm Anjou or the juicy, all-American Bartlett. But the possibilities are much greater than that.
Borrow some ideas from creative chefs, and you’ll be delighted with the way pears shine in appetizers, side dishes, entrees and desserts.
Picking a pear
First, though, you have to buy them wisely.
Although pears from one place or another are available year-round at the supermarket, local ones show up at farmers markets and roadside stands in late summer and fall.
No matter where you buy them, they are likely to appear under-ripe. But that’s OK. Unlike most fruits, pears become too soft if left to ripen on the tree; they’re picked full-grown, but before they’re ready to eat.
To ripen pears, simply put them in a bowl on the counter at room temperature. They should be ready to eat in two to four days, depending on variety, size and your own definition of “ready.” To speed the ripening, put them in a closed paper bag with an apple, but check them daily because ripening can happen fast.
When they’re at the ripeness you prefer, or a bit before, refrigerate to slow the ripening.
“Once they’re ripe, they don’t last long. You’d better eat them within a day or two,” says Maggie Andre, spokeswoman for the Pear Bureau Northwest industry group in Milwaukie, Ore. Winter varieties such as Boscs, Anjous and Seckels keep somewhat longer than summer varieties such as Bartletts, she says.
Pears come in many colors, of course, ranging from russet shades through yellows and into subtle greens and vivid reds, with all kinds of combinations in between. Thus, color is seldom an indicator of ripeness. The yellow Bartlett is an exception, changing from a light, bright green to a buttery yellow as it matures.
To properly judge ripeness, Andre says, press your thumb near the stem. If it yields to gentle pressure, it’s ready to eat, even if the wide part still feels very firm. That’s because pears ripen from the inside out, and if you wait until they’re soft around the widest part, the interior will be mushy, she says.
Ancient history
Pears are one of the most ancient of all fruits. Today, at least 5,000 varieties are in cultivation worldwide, Janet Hazen writes in “Pears: A Country Garden Cookbook”.
Yet Andre says most Americans recognize only three or four varieties: the Bartlett, America’s most common pear; the brownish, elongated Bosc; the sturdy, green Anjou; and to a lesser extent, the voluptuous, squat, yellow-green Comice. The small Seckel variety, used for making pickled pears, is well-known in some areas. And there are dozens of red pears–Red Anjou, Red Bartlett, Red Crimson and Rosy Red are a few–but most grocery stores label them all as red Bartletts or just “red pears,” she says.
More pear varieties of all kinds and colors are finding their way to U.S. markets, Andre says. She especially likes the forelle, a small, crisp and intensely flavored pear.
“Like any fruit, pears come and go in popularity,” Andre says. “When they’re in style, everybody does pears. Then everybody does blood oranges. Then kumquats. It happens that right now, pears are enjoying a surge of popularity in restaurants. There are just so many things you can do with them.”
PASTA SHELLS WITH PEARS AND GORGONZOLA CREAM
Preparation: time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This dish also serves well as a side dish with chicken or pork. It’s adapted from “Pears: A Country Garden Cookbook,” by Janet Hazen.
2/3 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons each: butter, flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups half-and-half
4 large, ripe, red-skinned pears, cored, cut into
1/2-inch cubes
2/3 pound Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled
1 pound medium-size pasta shells
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives for garnish
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange walnuts in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until nuts are light golden brown and aromatic, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool. Coarsely chop; set aside.
2. Melt butter in large, deep-sided saute pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper. Whisk in half-and-half; heat to boil over high heat. Cook about 7 minutes, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Reduce heat to medium; cook , stirring frequently, or until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, 10-15 minutes. Add pears and cheese; mix gently. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well; place in large serving bowl. Reheat cream mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly and cheese has melted. If mixture seems too thick, add more half-and-half. Add cream mixture to pasta with walnuts, thyme and rosemary; toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish with chives.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 810 Fat ………… 43 g Saturated fat … 21 g
% calories from fat .. 47 Cholesterol … 10 mg Sodium …….. 990 mg
Carbohydrates …… 80 g Protein …….. 28 g Fiber ………… 6 g
FRESH PEAR SQUARES
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 16 servings
Adapted from Eating Well magazine.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup each: old-fashioned oats, packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 large ripe, firm pears, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Work in oil and apple juice concentrate with your fingers or a fork until coarse crumbs form.
2. Firmly press 2 cups of the oat mixture into bottom of greased 9-inch square baking pan. Arrange pear slices evenly on top. Mix walnuts into remaining oat mixture; sprinkle over pears. Pat mixture firmly into even layer.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown and pears are tender. Remove from oven; cool completely on wire rack before cutting into squares.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 170 Fat ………. 4.3 g Saturated fat .. 0.3 g
% calories from fat .. 22 Cholesterol … 0 mg Sodium …….. 100 mg
Carbohydrates …… 32 g Protein …… 2.5 g Fiber ………. 1.6 g
PEAR VINAIGRETTE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 cups
Try this vinaigrette with mixed greens or a chicken salad. Adapted from “The Low-Fat for Life Cookbook,” by Sue Kreitzman.
1/2 cup each: balsamic vinegar, lime juice, orange juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 large black olives, slivered
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, diced
Combine all of the ingredients in blender; blend until smooth.
Nutrition information per tablespoon:
Calories …………. 10 Fat ………. 0.2 g Saturated fat … 0 g
% calories from fat .. 13 Cholesterol … 0 mg Sodium …….. 55 mg
Carbohydrates ….. 2.3 g Protein …… 0.1 g Fiber ……… 0.2 g
