Have you ever heard “a pear a day keeps the doctor away” or “a pear for the teacher”? Pity the poor pear, always taking a back seat to the apple.
Not in my house. My dining room has larger-than-life paintings of pears on the walls, along with ceramic pear vases, pear salt and pepper shakers and pear centerpieces. In my kitchen, there’s more: pear-shaped pitchers and spoon rests. A friend even gave me a gift of pear-scented cologne recently.
Of course, I also have the best thing: a bowl full of fresh, fragrant pears ready to savor.
Pears are seductive and voluptuous to look at, with colors ranging from pale brown to rosy red, with several shades of green in between. One has a whimsical crook in its neck, another a blush as round and red as a circus clown’s nose, another a squat bottom. We all know Comice, Bartlett, Anjou, Asian and Bosc, but there are more than 3,000 varieties around the world.
Pears can be included in any course, from salads and starters to an after-dinner sip of Poire William. For a special Shabbat treat, dice a firm Comice and incorporate it into your challah dough as you would raisins.
Pear, Watercress and Endive Salad with Gorgonzola
Serves 6
2 heads Belgian endive, cut into julienne
2 bunches watercress, coarse stems removed
2 ripe pears, cored and cubed
1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 Tbs. minced parsley
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1⁄4 lb. crumbled sweet (young) Gorgonzola cheese
In salad bowl, combine endive, watercress and pears. In another bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, parsley and olive oil until blended. Toss the salad with the dressing and sprinkle with Gorgonzola.
Pear-Potato Bisque
Serves 6-8
3 Tbs. butter
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 pears (Anjou, Bartlett or Comice) peeled, cored and diced
1 shallot, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1⁄2 cup chopped chives
In medium saucepan, heat butter. Cook potatoes, pears and shallot about 5 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Purée soup in food processor or blender. Return to pot and stir in cream. Taste for salt and pepper and heat through. Serve, sprinkled with chives.
Chicken Sauté with Pears and Pine Nuts
Serves 6
3-lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
salt and pepper
flour for dredging
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
3 Tbs. currants
2 firm pears (Bartlett or Comice) peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
1⁄4 cup toasted pine nuts
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In large skillet, heat oil. Sauté chicken on all sides until golden. Remove and reserve.
Add the leek and currants to skillet and cook 5 minutes. Add pears and cook
2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and stock, bring to a boil and cook until syrupy, about
3 minutes.
Return chicken to skillet, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].