CHILLI POACHED PEARS WITH STAR ANISE DUST
This is one of those puddings that tastes so much more complex than it is, with the warming spices adding layers of interest to the sweet pears. I love cooking with star anise, which is one of the main ingredients in Chinese five-spice. I’ll often add the star-shaped pods to stocks and syrups, as I do here, but grinding it to a powder and sprinkling it over the pears at the last moment also makes the dish beautifully fragrant.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Trim a small slice off the bottom of the pears so that they sit upright when you come to serve them.
  2. Put the sugar, chilli, saffron (if using) and the star anise into a saucepan large enough to hold the pears and add 500ml water. Place over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, then add the pears. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, until the pears are tender but still holding their shape.
  3. Meanwhile, make the dust. Put the star anise into a mortar and grind to a powder using the pestle. Mix with the ground ginger, then store in a screwtop jar until needed.
  4. When the pears are ready, remove them from the pan. Place the poaching liquor over a medium heat and reduce for 10––––15 minutes until thickened and syrupy. Either serve immediately or set aside and allow the pears to cool in the syrup overnight – this will intensify the flavours.
  5. Serve the pears warm or cold with a little syrup spooned over and some star anise dust sprinkled on top.
HOW TO CHOOSE PEARS FOR POACHING
  1. The pears should be ripe but not soft or else they will lose their shape when you poach them. Try to leave the stalk on when you peel them for a more professional look.