Mulled Wine Poached Apples Recipes

ROASTED DUCK WITH MULLED WINE GLAZE AND POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Bring ducks to room temperature before cooking and pat very dry. Rub each bird with a teaspoon of ghee or oil. Season with a mixture of salt and pepper under the skin and on top of the meat.
• Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern using a sharp knife. Gently make long incisions across the skin without piercing the meat. Place a clove into every other crosshatch mark and wedge them in between the layers of skin. Set the duck aside while you make the mulled wine and preheat the oven to 475.
• In a medium sized pot (big enough to fit four pears), combine the wine, cider, oranges, and spices together. Turn the heat to medium-high until it begins to simmer.
• While the wine is simmering, use a peeler and peel the skin off the pears. Place the pears in the pot with the mulled wine. Adjust the heat to a lower setting and continue to gently simmer until the pears are tender when pricked with a fork (about 25 minutes).
• Remove the pears and set aside on a plate to keep warm.
• Strain the mulled wine and discard the spices and oranges. Reserve a cup of the mulled wine for making the glaze. You can drink the remaining or freeze it for future use.
• Add the cup of wine back to the pot. Turn the heat to high and add 6 tablespoons of honey. Whisk to dissolve and boil fiercely for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. The glaze should be reduced to about half a cup and will thicken into a syrup consistency as it cools.
• Line the bottom of a cast iron skillet with a touch of oil. Spread the red onion slices across to act as a roasting rack for the ducks. Place the ducks on top and roast in the oven. A small duck, such as teal, will only need about 15 minutes to cook. A larger duck could take up to 15-25 minutes. You want to cook it until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 135 degrees for medium-rare. At this point, the legs might not be done. You can either roast the whole bird until the legs are done, resulting in a medium cooked breast, or carve the legs off and sear in a cast iron skillet to finish.
• During the last 5 minutes of cooking, brush the mulled wine glaze over the duck and drizzle over the red onions.
• Allow the duck to rest 5-10 minutes. Serve with the caramelized red onions and poached pears. Drizzle extra glaze over the top of everything.

MULLED WINE-POACHED APPLES

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring wine and mulling spices to a boil. Reduce heat; carefully add apples. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or just until apples are tender, turning once., With a slotted spoon, remove apples to a large bowl. Bring wine mixture to a boil; cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Cool. Pour over apples; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

POACHED APPLES WITH VANILLA YOGURT

Steps:

• Combine wine, sugar, orange juice, orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, star anise, and 2 cups water in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add apples; reduce heat to low and simmer, occasionally rotating apples, until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 25-30 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer apples to a plate and set aside. Strain poaching liquid in pan into a small saucepan, discarding solids in strainer. Set saucepan over medium-high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until poaching liquid is syrupy and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 10-15 minutes (syrup will thicken as it cools).
• Combine yogurt and honey in a small bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk until the yogurt sauce is smooth and well blended.
• Divide yogurt sauce among plates. Place warm apples on top. Drizzle syrup over.

MULLED PEARS AND APPLES

Steps:

• 1. Fill a large, heavy pot with apple juice. Tie the cinnamon sticks, ginger, and cloves together in a cheesecloth bag with kitchen string and add to the juice. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes, partially covered, to infuse flavors.
• 2. Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon into a large bowl and fill with water. Core the apples and pears from the bottom and peel them. Drop immediately into the lemon water (to prevent browning) until poaching time.
• 3. Carefully add apples to the boiling poaching liquid, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Add the pears to the liquid and poach until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove to a bowl.
• 4. Cool the poaching liquid to room temperature and discard spice bag. Return fruit to the liquid and refrigerate overnight.
• 5. To serve, place the fruit, stem-ends up, on a cake stand or platter. Strain some of the liquid over the fruit.