Poached Pears

I finally did it.  I poached pears.  Thanks to Chow for helping me to come up with a recipe using stuff I had on hand.

2 cups of port wine and 2 of cab
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 stick cinnamon
1 tbsp or so of whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
4 firm Bosc or Anjou pears (about 1 pound)

Combine all ingredients except pears in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, peel pears, leaving the stems intact. Slice off the bottom 1/8 inch of each pear to create a flat, stable base.

Reduce heat to keep poaching liquid at a bare simmer and add pears, laying them on their sides so that they are almost completely submerged. Cook, turning pears occasionally so that they become saturated on all sides, until they are just tender when pierced with a fork, about 7 minutes.  Be careful when turning - if the pears are ripe, or once they start to cook they get very delicate and you can end up gouging them with your spoon as you try to turn them.

Allow pears to cool completely in the poaching liquid. Serve or transfer pears and liquid to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To serve, I broke up half of a bar of dark chocolate into a small bowl, added 1/4 cup of milk and nuked for a minute.  I stirred, added more milk (another tbsp or two) until I had the consistency I wanted, then spooned the chocolate onto the plate and spread it around a bit, and nestled the pears on top.

ICE CREAM!!

Yowza - I wonder if this recipe works as well for other flavors? Because if so, omg, get ready for ice cream people because South Beach doesn't really allow for it, but I think I'd have a blast making it which means I won't really be able to eat it and will need to give it away. I can make vanilla, and strawberry (and then Neapolitan!) and peppermint and banana and banana/caramel/chocolate and salted caramel and lavender and EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER WANTED. Even if it's just the chocolate, think about the swirls I could add of marshmallow fluff or chocolate chips or fudge or nuts or minty things or raspberries. . . .
I still really want to try a rose water and pistachio ice cream to be enjoyed after a nice Moroccan feast - does that sound weird? Well I'm not the only one, okay? I mean, I must have tried those flavors together somewhere. Turkish Delight maybe?
Hello summer!!

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart

If you plan to store the ice cream for more than a few days, place plastic wrap directly on its surface before freezing.

1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, cold

1. MELT CHOCOLATE BASE Combine coffee (or espresso) powder and hot water in small bowl. Let stand until coffee dissolves, about 5 minutes. Microwave chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee mixture in bowl, stirring every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool.

2. MIX AND FREEZE With electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Whisk one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until incorporated. Freeze in airtight container until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 2 weeks. Serve.
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And look, we can even pair wine with our ice cream! Hell to the yeah!
Feel like you want to show me up with WINE ICE CREAM? Well, it's too late for that because I already know.
Thanks The Kitchn! Their blog on this (linked above) is very helpful in Americanizing the dastardly British original.

Almost Instant Sweet Wine Ice Cream
150ml sweet white wine , such as Orange Muscat and Flora
3 rounded tbsp caster sugar
284ml carton double cream
summer fruits to serve, such as blackberries , raspberries and redcurrants

1. Tip the wine and sugar into a bowl and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the cream until it starts to thicken and just hold its shape.
2. Pour into a rigid container and freeze until firm, about 3-4 hours. Serve in scoops with seasonal summer fruits splashed with a little more sweet wine.

461 kcalories (!!!!), protein 1g, carbohydrate 23g, fat 38 g (!!!!), saturated fat 21g (!!!!!), fibre 0g, salt 0.05 g