Poached Fruit Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine wine, sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon peel, and 5 cups water. Place over medium heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Gently place nectarines in the liquid. Add more water if needed to cover nectarines. Place a square of cheesecloth over the fruit, and top with a small plate to keep fruit submerged.
• Increase heat to high, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until nectarines are tender but not soft, about 5 minutes. Remove nectarines from liquid, and allow to cool
• Return liquid to a boil, and cook until reduced to a syrup that will coat the back of spoon, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool.
• Cut nectarines in half, and remove pit. Place two halves on serving plate. Drizzle with syrup. Top each half with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of mint.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine lemon zest, cinnamon stick, allspice, ground pepper, apple cider, and water.
• Add pears. Cover with waxed paper to prevent discoloring. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning pears occasionally, until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove pears from liquid; transfer to large bowl.
• Raise heat to high; boil cider mixture until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon. Pour syrup over pears; refrigerate. To serve, slice off a sliver from the bottom of each pear (so it stands upright). Serve pears with lemon sorbet, if desired.

Steps:

• Peel and dice fruit. Place Riesling in saucepan, add sugar, basil and fruit. Simmer slowly until fruit is tender. Cool and serve over ice cream.

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat.
• Add the pears, cherries, sugar and cornstarch to a large saucepot and mix to coat the fruit. Add the red wine, star anise and salt. Place the saucepot over direct heat, bring the mixture to a boil and cook, simmering, until the wine is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the saucepot from the heat and add the red wine vinegar. Discard the star anise. Let cool slightly.
• Serve by spooning over some vanilla bean ice cream.
• (Alternatively, you can poach the fruit over medium-high heat on a stovetop.)

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, 5 cups water, 1 stick butter and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Add 1 1/2 pounds halved fruit, reduce heat and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove fruit from liquid. Cool slightly and serve.

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine champagne, orange juice and sugar. Add orange slices, cloves and vanilla. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place pears in saucepan, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove cover, and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Remove pears from the liquid, and let cool.
• Heat chocolate in a bowl over hot water, stirring until melted. Pour chocolate over the pears, and serve.