Equipment
Ingredients
Poaching Liquid
- 200 ml red wine
- 50 g brown sugar
- 2 star anise
Main and Garnish
- 1 pear, peeled
- 45 g greek yogurt, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 503 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 84 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 67 g
- Sodium
- 41 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 3 mg
- Potassium
- 571 mg
- Calcium
- 141 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 45 mg
- Phosphorus
- 80 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 364 g
- Alcohol
- 21 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the red wine, brown sugar, and star anise in a small saucepan.
Heat the wine mixture over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer at approximately 85°C (185°F).
Place the peeled pear into the simmering liquid and poach for 10 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even coloring.
Transfer the pear to a serving bowl, pour the poaching liquid over it, and serve with the chilled Greek yogurt.
Chef's Notes
- For a deeper color, use a full-bodied red wine like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Avoid overly tannic wines as they can make the pears bitter.
- Ensure the pears are firm but ripe. Overripe pears will disintegrate during poaching.
- Allowing the poached pears to cool completely in the poaching liquid will deepen their flavor and color.
- For an extra touch, you can reduce the poaching liquid further after removing the pears to create a syrupy sauce to drizzle over the fruit and yogurt.
Storage
Refrigerator: 48 hours — Store in the poaching liquid to maintain color and moisture.
Reheating: Gently warm the pear and liquid in a saucepan over low heat.
Troubleshooting
Pear is tough or crunchy
Cause: The pear was underripe or the poaching time was too short.
Fix: Continue poaching in 2-minute increments until tender.
Prevention: Select pears that are ripe but firm; test with a knife before removing from heat.
Poaching liquid is too thin
Cause: Liquid did not reduce sufficiently.
Fix: Remove the pear and boil the liquid on high for 3-5 minutes to create a syrup.
Prevention: Ensure a steady simmer is maintained.
Cultural Context
Poached fruit, particularly pears, is a classic dessert found across European cuisines, with French and Italian traditions being particularly prominent. Often served as a refined yet simple end to a meal, it showcases the natural sweetness of the fruit enhanced by aromatic spices and wine.
