Best Preserved Pears With Pepper Star Anise And Vanilla Syrup Recipes

CINNAMON-ANISE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel, halve and core 2 pears. Put in a shallow dish with 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 star anise pod. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the pears are soft, 8 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon until soft peaks form. Serve the pears with the syrup and cinnamon cream.

PRESERVED PEARS WITH PEPPER, STAR ANISE AND VANILLA SYRUP

Steps:

• Put a rack in a large stockpot, or line the pot with a folded kitchen towel. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Add 6 pint-size canning jars and boil for 10 minutes. Jars may be left in the warm water in the pot until ready to be filled. Alternatively, sterilize the jars by running them through a dishwasher cycle, leaving them there until ready to fill.
• Place canning rings in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the lids to soften their rubber gaskets. Rings and lids may be left in the water until jars are filled.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice to keep the pears from browning. Peel, halve and core the pears, dropping them into the water as you go. Meanwhile, make the flavored syrup. Bring 8 cups of water and the sugar to a boil. Add anise, vanilla beans and peppercorns.
• Drain the pears and add to the boiling syrup. Boil for five minutes. Using a slotted spoon, divide pears between six jars. Remove the star anise and vanilla from the syrup, dividing them between jars. Ladle in hot syrup and peppercorns, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Run a plastic knife gently around the inside of jar to remove any air bubbles. Recheck the headspace. There may be extra syrup, but resist overfilling the jars.
• Wipe jar rims clean with a damp towel. Place the lids on the jars, screw on the rings and lower the jars back into the pot of boiling water. Return to a full boil and boil for 20 minutes. Transfer jars to a folded towel and let cool for 12 hours; you should hear them ping as they seal.
• Once cool, test the seals by removing rings and lifting jars by the flat lids. If a lid releases, the seal has not formed. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a month, or reprocessed. Rings and jars may be reused, but a new flat lid must be used each time. To reprocess, reheat syrup to boiling, add back pears, return to boiling, then continue as before.

STAR ANISE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine sugar 2 tablespoons water, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in a heavy large saucepan.
• Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and boil with out stirring until syrup turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 9 minutes.
• Remove from heat add 1 1/4 cups of water (the mixture will bubble vigorously).
• Bring to a simmer, stirring until pieces of caramel dissolve.
• Add pears, cover and simmer until tender, turning pears once about 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl.
• Boil liquid in sauce pan until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pears toss gently to coat.
• Chill until cold.
• Serve cold.

POACHED PEARS WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Combine Port, sugar, 1/2 cup water and star anise in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add pears; simmer until tender and liquid is reduced to thin syrup, turning pears occasionally, about 25 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Slice pears and fan on plates. Drizzle syrup over. Spoon ice cream alongside.

CANDIED KUMQUATS OR MEYER LEMONS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cover the fruit with cold water and bring to a boil. Drain. Cover the fruit with cold water and bring to a boil again. Drain and set aside.
• In the same saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the sugar, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pierce each piece of fruit 2 or 3 times with a paring knife. Drop the fruit into the sugar syrup and continue to simmer for 15 minutes for kumquats or 20 minutes for lemons.
• Remove from heat and leave the fruit steeping in the syrup unrefrigerated for 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring the syrup and fruit to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Cool and store in a glass jar. Fruit and syrup will keep in the refrigerator for 3 months.

GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, using your hands, mix the vegetables and salt until well combined. Cover the vegetables with water. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to sit, unrefrigerated, for 8 to 12 hours.
• Drain the vegetables and rinse thoroughly. Sterilize 2 quart-size glass jars, with lids, in the dishwasher or by submerging them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
• In one sterilized jar, combine the garlic and all the herbs and spices; add the vinegar and oil and shake well to emulsify the dressing. Pour half the dressing into the other jar.
• Pack the vegetables into the jars. If vegetables are not completely coated, make and add more dressing. Screw lids onto jars and refrigerate. Allow the mixture to mellow for a couple of days before serving.

STAR ANISE-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons water, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in heavy large saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1 1/4 cups water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Bring to simmer, stirring until pieces of caramel dissolve. Add pears, cover and simmer until tender, turning pears once, about 5 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl. Boil liquid in saucepan until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over pears; toss gently to coat. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight. Divide pears and syrup among 4 shallow bowls and serve.