Best Cranberry Pear Mostarda Recipes

CRANBERRY-PEAR MOSTARDA

Steps:

• Put the dried pears in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with 1/2 cup boiling water and let stand until plump, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Toast the mustard seeds in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until darkened (some may start to pop), about 5 minutes. Add all but 1 cup cranberries to the pan along with the sugar, vermouth, a pinch of salt and the pears with their soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the reserved 1 cup cranberries and 1/2 cup water; simmer until the cranberries soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cooled, about 2 hours.
• Stir together the mustard powder and 1 teaspoon cold water to make a paste. Stir into the cranberry sauce. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 more hours and up to 1 week.

PEAR AND CRANBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the 1/4 cup ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and form into 2 disks. Wrap the disks with plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Roll each pastry disk into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer them to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• For the filling, peel, core, and quarter the pears. Cut each quarter into big chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Divide the pear chunks between the pastries, covering the dough and leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cranberries over the top of each tart.
• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the two tarts. Gently fold the border of each tart over the pears, pleating it to make a circle.
• Bake the crostatas for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the pears are tender. Let the tarts cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer them to wire racks.

CRANBERRY-PEAR CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the fresh and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons water and the vanilla and toss to coat. Lightly smash with a potato masher or fork to burst some of the cranberries. Add the pears, cinnamon, allspice and 2 tablespoons flour and toss to coat. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish.
• Make the topping: Mix the remaining 1 cup flour, the pecans, oats, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the salt in a medium bowl, then stir in the melted butter. Use your fingers to pinch the topping into small clumps and sprinkle it over the fruit.
• Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR-CRANBERRY STRUDEL

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Toss pears with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Set aside to cool, then skim the white foam off the surface and discard. Spoon the melted butter into a bowl, leaving behind the solids at the bottom of the saucepan.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pear mixture and cook until pears start to give off juices. Add cranberries, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until pears are crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs; cool the mixture slightly.
• Combine remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with allspice and ginger in a small bowl. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly longer than the phyllo sheets and lay it with a long edge parallel to you. Set the stack of phyllo sheets beside it and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Transfer one sheet of phyllo to the parchment with a long edge facing you. Brush with some reserved butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of the nuts and sugar mixture. Repeat with each remaining phyllo, replacing the towel as you work. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons bread crumbs over top sheet of phyllo.
• Spoon the pear mixture across the phyllo about 1 inch from the edge closest to you to make a mound, with a 2-inch border at each end. Using the parchment to help you get started, roll the phyllo tightly over the filling to make a log, seam-side down. Lift the parchment with the strudel onto a baking sheet.
• Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer on the baking sheet to a rack to cool. Trim ends with a serrated knife. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with creme fraiche or whipped cream, if desired.
• Style: Cut the strudel into thirds, then cut each one of the pieces in half on an angle. This way, you get beautiful portions that stand at attention, showing off the layers and the filling.

MOSTARDA

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients except salt and pepper to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat, and simmer until fruit is very soft and sauce reduces, about 4 hours. Let cool slightly. Refrigerate overnight.
• Puree half the fruit mixture in a food processor until smooth. Stir puree back into fruit mixture, and season with salt and pepper. (Mostarda can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

CRANBERRY-PEAR SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium-size, heavy-bottom non-aluminum saucepan, combine cranberries, pears, sugar, dried cherries, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until berries have popped and are tender, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.