dinner – The Pear Dish

An Easy Way to Smoke Pears

Andrea Slonecker — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:45:05 +0000

Yes, you can smoke fruit! There are a variety of methods for smoking foods, from using a dedicated outdoor hot smoker, to DIY cold smoking in your oven, but this technique for infusing pears with smoky flavor is as easy as they come. All you need is a charcoal grill, wood chips, and a disposable aluminum pan—no special equipment required and no risk of setting off the smoke alarm in your kitchen. The truly exceptional thing about this technique is that you don’t even have to get the grill out just to smoke the pears since the pears are added to the grill after it’s used to cook something else, when the coals turn to embers. So while your family enjoys a late-summer meal on the patio, the residual heat still emitting from the grill is just enough to delicately Continue reading →

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Pear Pasta Salad

Andrea Slonecker — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 17:20:22 +0000

Potlucks and picnics are upon us! This portable pear recipe adds a sweet twist to the perennial favorite: pasta salad. With a flavor-packed combination of just-ripe USA Pears complemented by salty salami, tart pickled peppers, fresh mozzarella, and crunchy cucumbers, it’s sure to surpass any pre-made offering you’d find at the deli counter. Plus, a lightened-up version of the classic creamy dressing, substituting Greek yogurt for mayonnaise, makes for a healthier summer feast. Serves 8 to 10 Ingredients: Dressing 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salad 1 pound dried short pasta, such as fusilli, rotini, or farfalle 2 firm but ripe red USA pears, cut into bite Continue reading →

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Pulled Pork and Pear Tacos with Pear Pico de Gallo

Andrea Slonecker — Tue, 15 May 2018 15:02:04 +0000

Time for a taco party! In this festive recipe, pears appear in two ways: braised with pork shoulder to create depth and sweetness for a juicy, shredded taco filling, and also mixed into a zesty pear and jicama pico de gallo for topping. There will be plenty of the flavorful slow-cooked meat to feed a crowd, and any leftovers can be frozen for quick taco making for future weeknight dinners. Serve with margaritas and chips and salsa to round out the menu. Ingredients: 3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder (pork butt) 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon chile powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 large ripe USA Pears, peeled and chopped 1 small white onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems 4 canned chipotle chiles with a Continue reading →

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5 Tips for Plant-Powering Your Eating Style

Sharon Palmer, RDN — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 15:13:13 +0000

Plant-based eating is hot, hot, hot! More and more people are turning away from the traditional American plate – with a slab of meat at the center – towards a gorgeous, colorful, plant-centric plate filled with pulses (beans, lentils, peas), whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. No wonder this eating style is catching on—it’s downright delicious! From a whole grain bowl filled with chickpeas, pears and sunflower seeds, to a homemade veggie burger with avocado slices, there are so many delicious offerings. A plant-based diet doesn’t mean that you have to give up meat altogether if you don’t want to; it just means that your diet focuses mostly on plants. This flexitarian eating style is linked with a boatload of benefits, such as lower risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer and obesity, as well Continue reading →

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Pear and Chicken Meatball Banh Mi Sandwiches

Andrea Slonecker — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 14:10:18 +0000

Spring is in the air so let’s look to fresh flavors from Asian herbs, lemongrass, ginger, and crunchy vegetables to highlight pears. In this new take on the popular banh mi sandwich, you’ll find ripe pears mixed into mini meatballs that are inspired by the flavorful flattened patties served at traditional banh mi stands throughout Vietnam. They also appear in a crunchy, quick-pickled mélange of pears and carrots that tops the sandwiches. The meatballs and tangy topping are tucked into individual baguettes and adorned with cucumbers, jalapeños, and vibrant herbs. Serves 6 (Makes about 18 meatballs) Ingredients: Pickled Pear and Carrot Topping 1 cup pears cut into 2-inch-by-1/8-inch sticks 1 cup carrots cut into 2-inch-by-1/8-inch sticks 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt Meatballs 1 pound ground chicken 3/4 cup peeled USA Pears cut in Continue reading →

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6 Ways to Eat Well, Waste Less and Save Money

Amy Kweller MS, RD — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 16:28:46 +0000

Each March ushers in spring and National Nutrition Month! This annual celebration of nourishing the body through food began with the presidential proclamation of National Nutrition Week in 1973. This year’s theme is Go Further with Food, which encourages us to achieve the benefits of eating well while reducing food waste. In other words, planning and managing food resources will save both nutrients and money! The message of eating well while saving money is particularly close to my heart, and who doesn’t want more money in the bank? We can also think about nutrition status as a bank. We have nutrients stored in the body; when we eat we make a deposit and when we’re active we make a withdrawal. Throughout the day, the goal is to maintain appropriate fuel for living our best lives, and the same idea is Continue reading →

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5 Hearty Pear Soups to Warm Your Winter

Neil Ferguson — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 19:24:12 +0000

Few things warm the body and soul like a bowl of soup in the wintertime. When it’s cold outside, soup can bring a sense of nourishment and comfort. The winter months also happen to be an ideal time to experiment in the kitchen since the frigid temperatures keep many of us inside. Pears may not be an ingredient that immediately comes to mind when you think of soup, but they can bring a unique flavor and texture to both sweet and savory soups. They’re also an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin C, making them a nutritious and delicious ingredient. Whether sautéed with vegetables before stock is added, roasted and pureed to blend with stocks, or simply chopped and added to an already simmering broth, pears are a fun and tasty way to step up your Continue reading →

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Pear and Gouda Cheese Ball with Cranberries and Pecans

Andrea Slonecker — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 20:08:28 +0000

The all-American cheese ball is a throwback worth revisiting. Popular at holiday parties of yesteryear, today we take a fresh, lightened-up approach with the addition of pears. Swap the classic orange cheddar or crumbly blue for a nutty aged Gouda. The nuttiness plays well with both the sweet pears folded into the cheese mixture and the crunchy pecans that are sprinkled on the outside, while parsley and scallions add a savory bite. Perfect for an office gathering or a family affair, this pear-flecked cheese spread presents well in the shape of everyone’s favorite holiday fruit. And it’s deceptively easy to pull off, too. Serves 8 to 10 Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature 2 cups finely shredded aged Gouda cheese (about 6 ounces), at room temperature 1 ripe USA Anjou pear, peeled, cored (reserving the stem), and Continue reading →

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Grilled Pear and Lamb Flatbreads

Andrea Slonecker — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 18:02:49 +0000

Pears and meat are a winning combination. We often think of pork and chicken with fruit, but let’s not overlook lamb. That robust flavor is deliciously complemented by sweet, aromatic charred pears hot off the grill, and both partner perfectly with Middle Eastern flavors. Here we have a complete meal cooked almost entirely on the grill. A very simple dough is rolled out to make homemade flatbreads that get cooked right on the grill, and then topped with sliced grilled pears and red onions, spiced ground lamb, charred halloumi cheese, and an addictive yogurt-tahini sauce. Think of these flatbreads as a pizza of sorts, perfect for a patio party, and they’re as delicious hot as they are at room temperature. Serves 6 Dough 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 cup whole-wheat flour 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 Continue reading →

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Grilled Stuffed Pears

Andrea Slonecker — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:36:30 +0000

When it comes to summer grilling, pears are often overlooked. But the fact is their hardy texture is ideal for standing up to the intensity of the grill, and as they cook, their delicious flavor is enhanced by the smoky flames. Grilled pears can be prepared in both sweet and savory ways: think grilled pear halves topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, or sliced grilled pears tossed in a summery salad. Here they are cooked on the grill until just tender and juicy, with a quinoa salad stuffing that evokes flavors of the Mediterranean. Extra-virgin olive oil, Spanish-style chorizo, and fresh mint add a bold, summertime flare, while white balsamic vinegar adds a sweet, fruity tang to complement the flavors found in the grilled pears. Serve these at your next backyard barbecue, for an outside-the-box appetizer Continue reading →

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