Even though we are in the dead of winter, most of Maryland’s orchard farmers still have fruit from last season on hand. That’s why we can still see a lot of apples in the market as well as a few pears. We’re always on the lookout for new ideas for preparing local food, and Chef Jerry Pellegrino has a great idea to share with us.
Poaching is a cooking process we most often associate with eggs. But it’s got far more applications. Poaching is a moist-heat cooking method that involves gently cooking food in liquid at a temperature below boiling. Temperature: poaching uses a lower temperature than other moist-heat methods, like boiling and simmering, to maintain the food’s texture and tenderness. The liquid is usually maintained at temperatures between 158 and 176 degrees F. Liquid: poaching can be done in water, milk, stock, wine, or other flavorful liquids. The liquid absorbs flavor from the food, so some cooks reduce the liquid to make a sauce.
Here are some recipes Jerry would like to pass along.
Red Wine Poached Pears
2 large oranges, navel or cara cara oranges preferred for sweetness
6 ripe but firm small pears
2 cups red wine such as Pinot Noir
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons raw sugar, or granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
Zest and juice one of the oranges and pour the juice in a medium bowl.
Slice the remaining orange into ¼-inch rounds.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the pears, leaving them whole. Add the pears to the bowl with the orange juice and toss to coat (this will help prevent the pear from turning brown too quickly).
Prepare a non-reactive pot that can fit all the pears snuggly (I used an enameled pot). Add the orange slices, red wine, honey, sugar, cinnamon stick, and cardamom.
Over medium-high heat, bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and add in the pears and orange juice (set the bowl aside). Cover and let simmer gently for 20 to 30 minutes, occasionally rotating them using a wooden spoon, until the pears have softened enough and a skewer inserted in the middle of a pear at the thickest part meets no resistance.
Transfer the pears back to the bowl for now. Simmer the remaining liquid for a few minutes or until thickened.
Allow the pears to sit upright in the poaching liquid until they have cooled enough to serve.
Serve poached pears warm or cold with a little bit of the syrup drizzled on top, and some orange zest for garnish. You can also refrigerate them in the poaching liquid overnight to serve at a later time.
Poached Apples in Riesling
6 small apples peeled, cored and cut in half
3 cups semi-dry Riesling
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
handful of mint leaves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp peeled ginger
peeled zest of 1 lemon peeled in long slices
Set the peeled apples aside, and add all the other ingredients to a large, wide pot. Mix to combine, and bring to a simmer.
Add apples to the liquid, arranged in a single layer and completely submerged (add more water if you have to).
Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until tender.
Remove apples carefully from the liquid and set aside to cool.
Remove lemon zest strips, mint and cinnamon sticks and set aside.
Turn heat up to medium and continue to cook until the mixture becomes a syrup.
This could take 30 minutes.
Arrange apple halves on a plate, garnish with mint, ice cream, walnuts;
drizzle with syrup.
