Best Dried Pears Recipes

ARUGULA SALAD WITH PEARS, OVEN-DRIED GRAPES, AND ROASTED-SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Arrange grapes in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 teaspoons olive oil; toss to coat. Place shallots on sheet of heavy-duty foil; drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Enclose in foil; place in small baking dish. Bake until shallots are very soft, about 1 1/2 hours, and grapes are shriveled and lightly caramelized, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool. Do ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover separately; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Combine shallots and accumulated juices, vinegar, and honey in blender and puree. Season with salt and pepper.
• With blender running, gradually blend in remaining 3/4 cup oil. Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Toss arugula in large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Divide among plates. Top with pears and grapes. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and serve.

SLOW COOKED WINTER BREAD PUDDING WITH DRIED PEARS

Steps:

• If bread is not stale: Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet and cook until toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk the half-and-half, eggs, sugar, whiskey, vanilla, salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Toss bread cubes and dried fruit together and place into the slow cooker. Pour custard over top and press down lightly until all bread is covered with custard.
• Cover and cook on LOW until pudding puffs and is just set, about 3 1/2 hours. Remove insert from the slow cooker and cool on a rack, about 20 minutes.
• Spoon pudding into large cups or bowls and sprinkle each serving with cinnamon sugar, and toasted nuts. Top with whipped cream or yogurt, if desired.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PEARS AND DRIED FIGS

Steps:

• *NOTE: If using feta, it is high in sodium, so you may want to adjust the amount of salt indicated in the recipe. Also, the directions did not say to peel the pears, but I did anyway.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, fresh herb and garlic. Place 2 rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the center of each pear half.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the chicken broth, figs, balsamic vinegar and sugar until smooth. (You may have to do this in batches.).
• Pour the chicken broth mixture into a strainer over a bowl. Using a spatula, press the liquid through the strainer into the bowl. Discard the solids.
• Pour HALF of the fig sauce into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Place the chicken breasts over the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Now take a filled pear half and place cut side down (that means the filled half is placed cut side down) over each chicken breast. Drizzle with the remaining fig sauce.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cover baking dish with foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil and continue baking, basting the chicken occasionally, for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.
• Cut chicken breast and pear in half to serve. Spoon fig sauce over pear. Garnish with cut up figs and sprigs of herbs.

HAROSETH WITH CHESTNUTS, PINE NUTS, PEARS AND DRIED FRUITS

Steps:

• In a medium pot, combine all ingredients except for the chestnuts and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until fruit starts to break down, about 30 minutes. Stir in chestnuts.
• Transfer to a food processor and pulse in short bursts until chunky, or until desired texture is reached.

BACON CHEDDAR QUICK BREAD WITH DRIED PEARS

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
• Combine bacon, all cheese, dried pears, walnuts, and sage in medium bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in large bowl to blend. Whisk eggs, milk, and olive oil in another medium bowl to blend. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Add bacon-cheese mixture and stir until incorporated (dough will be very sticky). Transfer dough to prepared loaf pan; spread evenly.
• Bake bread until golden on top and slender knife inserted into center of bread comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool bread in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic, then foil, and store at room temperature.

OVEN-DRIED PEARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225 degrees. Line a pan with parchment. Cut each pear lengthwise into 1/8- to 1/4- inch-thick slices. Remove seeds and fibrous bits from each slice; arrange on pan, spaced 1/2 to 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Transfer to oven; dry until pears become firmer, slightly chewy, and shriveled around edges, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 2 days or frozen, up to 6 weeks.

FRISEE SALAD WITH PEARS AND DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mash chutney with the back of a spoon to break up any large pieces of fruit. Whisk in vinegar, mustard, curry powder, and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add frisee, pears, and dried cherries. Toss to combine, and serve immediately.

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PEARS AND DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons ras el hanout and stir 1 minute. Add pears and sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer pears to plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium heat. Add onion and apricots. Sauté until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add broth and honey. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Return pears to pot. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Mix remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons ras el hanout in small bowl to blend. Rub mixture all over pork tenderloins. Transfer pork to roasting pan. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 155°F, about 30 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, reheat sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Divide pork among 6 plates. Spoon sauce and pears over pork. Sprinkle with almonds.

PEARS AND DRIED FRUITS IN A TAGINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Wash lemon and remove peel with a knife, trying to keep it in one long string. Squeeze juice from 1/2 of the lemon into a small saucepan. Add honey, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until fragrant and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange pears, core-sides up, in a tagine. Add prunes, apricots, almonds, and lemon peel around the pears and on top if necessary. Pour lemon juice mixture over top allowing cinnamon stick and vanilla bean halves to fall into the tagine. Cover.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the cover, allowing any condensation to fall back into the tagine. Turn pears over and add pine nuts. Replace the cover and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the oven off, and allow the tagine to sit in the hot oven until sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes. Serve.

SLOW COOKED WINTER BREAD PUDDING WITH DRIED PEARS

Steps:

• If bread is not stale: Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet and cook until toasted, about 10 minutes.Whisk the half-and-half, eggs, sugar, whiskey, vanilla, salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Toss bread cubes and dried fruit together and place into the slow cooker. Pour custard over top and press down lightly until all bread is covered with custard.Cover and cook on LOW until pudding puffs and is just set, about 3 1/2 hours. Remove insert from the slow cooker and cool on a rack, about 20 minutes.Spoon pudding into large cups or bowls and sprinkle each serving with cinnamon sugar, and toasted nuts. Top with whipped cream or yogurt, if desired.

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH ENGLISH SAUSAGE, WILTED LEEKS, AND DRIED PEARS

Steps:

• To make the sausage, place all the ingredients except the salt in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended. Cook and taste a small sample, then add salt if needed. Use right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• To make the pudding, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 3-quart baking dish.
• In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and pears and stir to mix. Add the water, decrease the heat, and cook gently until the leeks wilt but remain bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the bread, leek-pear mixture, salt, and pepper, and then add the sausage, breaking it into small clumps. Stir to mix and pour into the prepared dish.
• Bake until toasted on the top and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD WITH DRIED PEARS AND ANISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter heavy large baking sheet. Place 4 teaspoons aniseed in small sealable plastic bag; close bag. Using mallet, pound seeds until coarsely crushed. Combine crushed aniseed and anisette liqueur in small bowl.
• Stir both flours, oats, salt and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, molasses and melted butter in medium bowl. Whisk in anisette mixture. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk mixture into well; stir until blended. Mix in pears (dough will be dense and moist).
• Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead gently until dough comes together and pear pieces are well distributed, about 2 minutes. Cut dough in half. Form each half into 6-inch round. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Using sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch-deep cross in center of each round.
• Bake until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped and tester inserted into center of bread comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to racks. Cool completely. (Can be made ahead; wrap in foil and store at room temperature 1 day or freeze up to 2 weeks. Thaw bread; rewarm wrapped in foil in 350°F. oven about 15 minutes, if desired.)

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PEARS AND DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons ras el hanout and stir for 1 minute.
• Add pears and sauté until tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer pears to plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium heat. Add onion and apricots. Sauté until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
• Add beef broth and honey.
• Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Return pears to pot and remove from heat.
• Mix remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons ras el hanout in small bowl to blend. Rub mixture all over pork tenderloins.
• Transfer pork to roasting pan. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 155°F, about 30 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, reheat sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Divide pork among 6 plates. Spoon sauce and pears over pork. Sprinkle with almonds.

PEARS, CELERY, PEAS, DRIED CRANBERRIES, & WALNUT SALAD

Steps:

• Mix salad dressing in bowl.
• Add all salad ingredients to dressing.
• Plate on a bed of greens and top with candied walnuts.

PEARS POACHED IN EARL GREY TEA WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add tea bags. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add sugar to tea and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add pears, apricots, and cloves. Cover and simmer until pears are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add cherries and simmer 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears, apricots, and cherries to bowl. Boil syrup in saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour syrup over fruit. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• Divide fruit and syrup among 4 bowls and serve.
• *Dried tart cherries are available at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets.

ROASTED PEARS WITH DRIED APRICOTS AND PISTACHIOS RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack too middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 1½ Tablespoon butter in oven safe 12 inch skillet on medium-high heat. Place pear halves, cut side down in skillet. Cook, without moving them until pears are just beginning to brown, 3-5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast pears for 15 minutes. Using tongs, flip pears and continue to roast until tender, 10-15 minutes longer Using tongs, transfer pears to platter. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add wine, apricots, sugar, cardamom, salt and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bring to simmer, whisking up any browned bits. Cook until sauce is the consistency of maple syrup, 7-10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Pour sauce over pears, sprinkle with pistachios, and serve.

DRIED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in a pot on high heat. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes or until a light syrup forms. Add lemon juice and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook until the syrup is barely simmering.
• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Slice pears into 1/8 inch (3mm) slices lengthwise. Use either a serrated knife or a mandoline. Add pear slices to the sugar syrup and poach for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cslices are slightly translucent.
• Remove slices with a slotted spoon and drain any syrup back into the pot. Place pear slices on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place in the miffle of oven and dry for 2 hours or until they are firm but with a little flexibiilty and not quite dry to the touch.
• Cool and store pear slices in an airtight tin.

ROASTED PEARS AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, whisk together apple cider, 2 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Add pears, dried cherries, prunes, and lemon zest and juice; toss to combine.
• Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 15 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake, tossing once, until fruit is tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes more.
• In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and remaining tablespoon sugar. Serve warm, or at room temperature, with sweetened sour cream.