Whole-Poached Seckel Pears
These petite little pears are the perfect sweet bite, poached in just a little sugar and cinnamon.
Ingredients:
1½ cups water
⅓ cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
7-8 ripe, but still firm, Seckel pears, peeled
Method:
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, add water, sugar and cinnamon stick. Dissolve sugar over medium heat.
2. Add pears, making sure they’re completely submerged, and cook at a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes depending on their size and level of ripeness. Turn off heat (don’t worry if they don’t look completely done, the pears will continue softening as they cool), remove from burner, and let cool in the poaching liquid. The pears can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Cozy Sunday Supper Recipes
In the tradition of our own Nonna Pat’s long-standing Sunday suppers, this week’s box includes fixings for a meal to share with your nearest and dearest: Satisfying pasta crafted from orecchiette, organic Italian sausage and iron-rich Swiss chard, plus Pain au Levain bread and our creamy Gorgonzola dressing and tart-sweet cranberries to accent a poached pear dessert. Side dish-worthy produce including fall Delicata squash, radicchio, parsnips and Brussels sprouts round out this robust Italian meal.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Orecchiette with Italian Sausage & Swiss Chard
Everyone will be asking for seconds of this extremely satisfying dish.
Sage-Infused Butter
Wonderful drizzled on warm bread or tossed with fresh pasta!
Baked Delicata Squash
Tossed with cream and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this beautiful side from The Glorious Vegetables of Italy enhances the sweet flavor of autumn squash.
Spicy Honey-Glazed Parsnips
Drizzled with chili-honey butter, this roasted parsnip recipe from Bon Appetit is a real winner.
Buttery Braised Leeks
Accented with just a squeeze of lemon, these sublime leeks are a worthy side dish.
Honey-Poached Pears with Dried Cranberries
This lovely recipe uses honey to draw out the mellow sweetness of pears.
Honey-Poached Pears with Dried Cranberries
This lovely recipe uses honey to draw out the mellow sweetness of pears.
Ingredients:
6 firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored and halved
1 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch fine sea salt
½ cup dried cranberries
Method:
1. Combine 2½ cups water, honey, lemon juice, and sea salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Add pears; reduce heat and simmer until tender, turning occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on ripeness. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to medium bowl. Boil liquid until reduced to 1 cup syrup, about 22 minutes. Pour syrup over pears. Cover and chill until cold, about 2 hours.
3. Divide pears and syrup among 6 bowls. Top each with a sprinkling of dried cranberries and serve slightly chilled or at room temperature with a dollop of slightly sweetened crème fraîche and a shortbread cookie, if desired.
Season to Season Recipes
Swinging from cloudy and drippy to sunny and crisp, the weather has us—and the gardens—towing the line between summer and fall. Luckily, that mercurial forecast also means that we are enjoying produce from both seasons as summery favorites like heirloom tomatoes, zucchini and peppers continue to delight alongside local Chanterelle mushrooms and fresh fettuccine to toss together for a cozy fall supper. Also included: Pain au Levain bread, Asian pears from the orchard and an Italian red wine so you can toast to whatever season is at hand today.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Fettuccine with Sautéed Chanterelle Mushrooms
Rich with locally-foraged mushrooms, chicken stock and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of fall.
Chicory Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
This light and bright dressing is the perfect compliment to peppery chicory greens.
Sautéed Zucchini with Pancetta & Thyme
This simple recipe from the Homegrown Harvest cookbook is packed with smoky-savory flavor.
Broiled Heirloom Tomatoes
Topped with crispy Panko bread crumbs and Grana-style cheese, these beautiful tomatoes are a worthy supper side.
Braised Baby Artichokes
Simmered with white wine and chicken stock, these baby artichokes are melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Honey-Poached Pears with Crème Fraîche
This lovely dessert from Bon Appetit uses honey to draw out the mellow sweetness of fall pears.
