Posted on November 26, 2012 by Nourish Northwest
Leave a Comment
Post by Paula Jahn, Co-owner, Registered Dietitian
This dish is embedded in my family history. The origin of my love of pears is no surprise. My grandfather on my mother’s side was the manager of the Scotts Valley Fruit Exchange, a pear packing shed in Lakeport, CA. Both of my parents worked summer jobs “in the pears,” where they fell in love as 16 year olds. Even my brother was drawn back to the pear sheds as a summer job during college. Late summer in my childhood home was defined by boxes of Bartletts at various stages of ripeness. I remember rummaging through the boxes to find the perfectly soft, yellow, fragrant pear. Pears are one of my favorite fruits, and my obsession extends to the aesthetic, as well.
Walnuts also have meaning in my family. My grandfather on my father’s side had a black walnut orchard. Every October, my family would gather the green-husked nuts from the ground, staining hands and knees black with the juice. After two weeks of drying, the walnuts are ready to be cracked open with a hammer and used for the year(s) to come. The walnuts pictured in the recipe below are from my parents’ small crop in Northern California.
This dessert is perfectly light and elegant. After a long weekend of feasting on leftover pie and cookies, this feels healthy and refreshing, yet warm, comforting and seasonal. This dish warms my dietitian’s heart: it lets the whole foods speak for themselves while being low in added sugar and high in fiber and healthy fats.
It is best to choose pears that are firm when ripe, such as Bosc pears. Peel the pears so they are easily infused with the essence of vanilla bean and orange. The red wine tints the pears a vibrant magenta.
After about 30 minutes in the oven, the pears are soft and the walnuts are poached. The walnut and mascarpone cheese topping elevates this dessert from impressive to downright fancy. The topping is decadent and rich without being heavy.
BAKED PEARS WITH WINE AND WALNUT CREAM
(Adapted from Jamie Oliver)
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 vanilla pod
4 firm pears, peeled, such as D’Anjou or Bosc
1/4 cup sucanat or other dark sugar
2 large glasses wine
2 oranges
6 oz (~1 1/2 cups) peeled walnuts
8 oz mascarpone
1-2 Tbs evaporated cane juice or other sweetener, to taste
PREPARATION