I love summer. Hot nights, bright skies, fresh fruit—it simply beckons me to bring my dinner plate outdoors. Last night, I grilled my entire meal: chicken skewers, asparagus, and Green Anjou pears.
The pears were a delicious dessert—a little crisp (I only bought them one day prior), but sweet and slightly charred. I’m an impatient cook, as you can tell—I took a bite out of the pear below before it was finished cooking, but hey, how else was I to know when it was ready? My dining companion loved them drizzled with honey; I could have gone for a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side. Next time, I’ll try a fruity white wine (I used pear wine – complex, but a bit too strong for my taste) and plan ahead so my pears are ripe and ready.
Grilled Pears
Ingredients
3 ripe Green Anjou USA Pears
1 cup water
1 cup white or fruit wine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Honey, to garnish (optional)
Directions
Halve the pears and remove the seeds with a melon baller. Cut the stems out with a small paring knife. In a medium saucepan, heat the water, wine, and vanilla on low until warm, about five minutes. Add the pear halves and simmer until slightly translucent and tender, about 10–12 minutes.
Let pear halves cool slightly in the poaching liquid before removing and draining. Preheat well-oiled grill to 400 degrees. Sprinkle cut side of pears with cinnamon.
When it is hot, place pears cut side down on the grill for 4–6 minutes or until slightly caramelized. Turn pears over and heat for 2 minutes. To serve, drizzle warm pears with honey. Serve with frozen yogurt, whipped cream, or ice cream if desired.
