Chocolate Covered Poached Pears With Apricot Pecan Stuffing And Chile Sabayon Recipes

PEAR-PECAN STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large deep skillet, saute 1 each chopped onion and carrot, 2 chopped celery stalks and 1 tablespoon each sage and thyme in 1 stick butter for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and add 2 diced Bosc pears, then saute 2 minutes.
• Pour in 1/4 cup bourbon and simmer 2 minutes, then add 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth. Return to a simmer until step 5.
• In a large bowl, mix 2 eggs and 1/4 cup chopped parsley.
• Add to the bowl 16 cups toasted white bread cubes, 1 cup toasted pecans and the hot broth mixture.
• Gently toss the stuffing, then spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter or turkey pan drippings, cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED POACHED PEARS WITH APRICOT-PECAN STUFFING AND CHILE SABAYON

Steps:

• Poach pears
• Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit inside mouth of a heavy large pot. Combine wine, sugar, vanilla bean, canela, anise seeds, and lemon zest in pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add pears and enough water to cover, 3 to 4 cups. Place parchment paper over pears to keep them submerged, and bring liquid to gentle simmer. Simmer until pears are just tender, about 12 minutes. Remove pears, discarding liquid, cool completely, and refrigerate until chilled.
• Make stuffing
• Melt butter or margarine in medium skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add chopped apricots and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add brown sugar and cook mixture, stirring constantly, until light syrup develops, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat and cool.
• Stuff pecan mixture into hollowed pears, packing tightly. Refrigerate until chilled.
• Make chocolate sauce
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt butter or margarine in small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate.
• Remove pears from refrigerator and dip into chocolate sauce, tilting and swirling pan to coat bottom half of each pear.
• Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
• Make sabayon
• In metal bowl whisk together egg yolks, wine, sugar, and chile powder until well combined. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and cook mixture, whisking constantly, until foamy and thick enough that strokes leave a clear path, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from over water.
• To serve
• Ladle sabayon into 6 shallow bowls. Place 1 pear in each bowl. Garnish with fresh mint and berries.

PEARS COVERED WITH CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add the pears, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove pears and set them on a plate.
• In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Spoon chocolate over pears to coat. Remove pears to a clean plate, and chill until serving. Serve cold.

PECAN AND APRICOT SOURDOUGH BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Butter an 11x14 inch baking dish, and set aside to bake the stuffing.
• Arrange sourdough bread pieces on a baking sheet. Toast the bread in preheated oven until crisp and dry, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and celery; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the herbes de Provence and rubbed sage, then stir in the apricots. Turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to rest.
• Toss the toasted bread and pecans together in a large bowl. Stir in the celery mixture, then season with salt and pepper. Mix in the chicken broth, one cup at a time. Stir in the egg. Transfer the stuffing to the buttered baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is browned, 30 to 35 minutes.