Start this Thanksgiving meal off with a gorgeous poached pear!
These pears look super fancy, but are so simple to prepare. Finish off this sweet dish with a salty compliment of Jamón Ibérico prosciutto from Spain or Jambon de Bayonne French prosciutto and the family will think they have eaten at the finest of restaurants this holiday!
This beautiful appetizer can be plated individually for a sit down meal. If you are planning a buffet, group the pears on a large platter. The pears can be poached the day ahead and served room temperature…or poached just before dinner and served warm. Either way they are super delicious and make a beautiful presentation!
You will need one pear per person.
Secklund or Bosc Pears with stems intact
Ibérico or Jambon de Bayonne prosciutto
2 cups of white wine
2 cinnamon sticks
Rind of one lemon~ plus the juice
1 cup of pure maple syrup
Fresh mint for garnish
Pure Maple Syrup for garnish
Peel the pears leaving the stem intact.
Place the pears in the bottom of a heavy pot. Add the lemon rind, and cinnamon sticks to the pot. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the pears. Pour the maple syrup directly over the pears. Add the white wine to the pot along with enough water to cover the pears.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower heat to simmer for 40-60 minutes or until a fork will sink into the pears.
When the pears have simmered to a softened texture, remove the pot from the heat and let pears stand in the liquid for twenty minutes. Remove the pears gently and serve or cover with plastic and refrigerate over night.
Click here for printable instructions Poached Pear with Prosciutto
Click through the gallery for step-by-step photos~
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- These Poached Pears are a gorgeous appetizer! I have plated them individually with Jamon Iberico, but they are also lovely served on a large platter.
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- You will need one pear per person. I used a combination of Secklund and Bosc Pears.
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- You will also need 2 cups of Pinot Grigio, 1 cup pure maple syrup (plus more for garnish) one lemon, 2 cinnamon sticks.
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- Peel the pears leaving the stems intact. Place them in the bottom of a large stock pot along with the cinnamon stick and lemon rind. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the pears . Pour one cup of maple syrup over the pears. Add the white wine to the pot and add enough water to cover pears.
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- Bring the pears to a boil over medium high heat.
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- Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 40-60 minutes or until pears can be pierced with a fork.
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- Once the pears have simmered to a softened consistency , remove the pot from the heat and let the pears cool for twenty minutes in the liquid.
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- Gently remove the pears from the liquid and serve, or wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator overnight. I served mine with a drizzle of pure maple syrup and a side of prosciutto! So fancy:)
Chowfancy 