CARAMEL PEAR TERRINE

CARAMEL PEAR TERRINE image

Yield 6 - 8

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 whole star anise, finely grated (1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 to 5 pounds ripe, firm Bartlett pears (10 to 12 pears)
6 ounces mild blue cheese, preferably Fourme d'Ambert, thinly sliced (optional)
1 cup walnuts, toasted (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring water and 3/4 cup sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling pan occasionally if sugar darkens unevenly, until mixture turns dark amber. Pour caramel into a 6.5 inch wide x 3.5 inch deep charlotte mold. Swirl the mold to coat bottom and sides. Place star anise in a small bowl. combine salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another bowl. Place lemon juice in a third bowl. Peel 3 pears. Using a mandoline, slice each pear lengthwise 1/8 inch thick, stopping at the core and turning over to slice the opposite half. Arrange 1 layer of pear slices in a tight, overlapping circle in mold, working counterclockwise to cover the bottom. Brush lightly with lemon juice, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar mixture. Arrange new layer of pear slices in a tight, overlapping circle, working clockwise to cover previous layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar mixture and a pinch of star anise. Repeat slicing and layering and alternate lemon juice and star anise. Leave 1/2 inch space at top of mold. Cover mold with foil. Place in a large roasting pan and transfer to oven. Carefully pour boiling water into pan to come halfway up sides of mold. Bake until a tester inserted into center meets no resistance, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack, uncover and let cool. Place a pie dish over mold and quickly invert. Remove mold. Using a spatula, transfer terrine to a platter, reserving sauce in dish. Pour sauce into a small saucepan and boil until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Slice terrine and serve warm with sauce and, if desired, blue cheese and walnuts. Grate star anise using a microplane zester. Don't buy preground spice. Replace charlotte mold with 3 inch deep cake pan. Cooking time remains the same.